Filed under: Bad Apple, iPhone, App Store
Monday morning App Store shenanigans, NIN: Access edition
Another week, another App Store scandal. Over the weekend, Apple rejected an update to the NIN: Access app (reviewed here) because of "objectionable content." The objectionable content? 1994's The Downward Spiral (iTunes link, also available in a deluxe edition here). Needless to say, Trent Reznor is a little upset (TUAW disclaimer, Reznor uses adult language, if this bothers you, avert your eyes or don't click the link).This latest incident allows us to revisit other incidents of non-sensical approval decisions. In the case of Tweetie, Apple backed off the potential objectionable content claim and let the update through. In the case of craigsphone, the developer re-routed potentially "adult" content to Mobile Safari. As for South Park, well, it's still not in the App Store.
With a tour in progress, the developer of the NIN app has removed what he believes to be the objectionable file, but we'll need to wait to see if this (or the ensuing outrage over this stupid decision) will change Apple's mind.
As it stands, I can't help but be flummoxed by the seemingly arbitrary nature of the App Store review process. When I reviewed NIN: Access, it was readily apparent that users had access to podcasts, remixes and music videos for the Nine Inch Nails catalog. I even thought to myself, "Well, I guess Apple got over the Craigslist-aphobia" and accepted that users who download the NIN: Access app know what they are getting into. Clearly, I was wrong.
So while apps that simulate killing an infant can actually make it into the store (and the PR nightmare is what ends up gettting it removed), apps that provide access to online content -- content that is available for sale via iTunes -- remains off-limits. Way to go!
[via TechCrunch]
UPDATE: The app has been approved despite the content issues, it would seem.
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Derrick said 1:05PM on 5-04-2009
But doesn't Apple because of it's pricing model on the app store in some way become liable for the content that is available through it? I can certainly see how Apple is protecting themselves by regulating the quality and content of the apps that it chooses to sell in it's own store. Apple is a wholesome brand that shows up in schools and homes, I can certainly appreciate them protecting that image. And on the quality side Apple also strives to maintain a higher standard than other software companies in the world.
And I personally, as an Apple customer and an indie iPhone dev. appreciate these standards. And I hope that Apple continues to turn a def ear to the Trent Reznors of the world who profit by making it a worse place.
Mike said 8:00PM on 5-04-2009
you know all this stuff really got out of hand when steve left apple i wonder and i hope that when steve gets back he can hope over see this crap processes and fix it
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John said 1:22PM on 5-04-2009
@Derrick: Does Amazon get into trouble because of the contents of the books it sells? It does seem to arbitrarily remove batches of books whenever a particular special-interest group whines about content, but I've never heard of a lawsuit against Amazon for book content.
Apple's gatekeeper approach to the iPhone is one of the reasons I ditched the iPhone for another platform. Imagine if Apple took the same approach with Mac software: People would be screaming!
If Apple comes out with the "perfect" tablet device--but it runs the stripped down iPhone OS X that requires Apple's blessing to code for--I would never buy it. I cannot imagine buying a general-purpose, programmable computing device where I would have to wait for the blessing of the OEM in order to load my software on it. (If the device isn't "extensible," like the earlier-generation iPods, that's a different story altogether.)
In the age of open-source software and as a developer I am very discouraged by Apple's totalitarian approach to its consumer hardware. Clearly the jailbreaking community agrees--but I don't want to give Apple the benefit of my money for such devices, no matter how good the hardware is. I do not want to encourage this new behavior on Apple's part.
(Please note that I am not Apple-bashing. I'm bashing Apple's specific policy of developer and software approval.)
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Kento Ito said 3:05PM on 5-04-2009
Here's a solution:
RESUBMIT THE APP!
The app approval depnds on the approver. Some of the approvers at Apple may find the content objectional and reject it, while another person looking at the same app do not find the content objectional and approves it.
This is what happened to Tweetie 1.3 update.
It basically something out of a famous Nordstrom one card employee handbook:
Welcome to Nordstrom
We're glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.
Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules.
Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time.
For Apple's app store approval people, there's only one rule: use good judgement. no other guidelines, nothing.
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moshady911 said 3:23PM on 5-04-2009
over 1 billion downloads...i don't think Apple gives a Sh&t about what you think of their process.
The Golden Rule: The one with the Gold makes the the rules
Maybe when another competent App Store comes out (not like the App World or Android Market) and they allow stuff like this, then Apple will start making some revisions.
Another point: If they rated apps as Mature Audiences Only, the App Store would turn into a porn shop. It would be no surprise that developers would recognize that a MATURE ONLY app would make much more money. All sorts of porn, killing, vulgar, profane apps would be unleashed...and after a few weeks we'd find ourselves in the same argument: "Why won't Apple allow Anal Penetration when they allow Frontal Nudity" blah blah blah.
Stop calling Apple a Totalitarian state. Just like in all democracies, there needs to be some sort of government. It took a hell of a long time to establish our written out rules and a hell of a lot of money (money in which Apple has no interest in spending, clearly). Stop demanding Anarchy from the App Store. Just like in America, if you hate it so much then get out. If you hate the App store so much, stop using it and stop developing for it.
-Apple Developer whose App is currently being held for further review
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VeganTnT said 4:44PM on 5-04-2009
Sounds a lot like Flying Rider to me...
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VeganTnT said 4:57PM on 5-04-2009
My apologies, It looks like 1password saved some text from the last comment I wrote on tuaw =/
But anyways...
I don't see why Trent Reznor has such an issue with this.
All apps and games on the app store have some kind of rating to let people know about the content within the app. An example is Amateur Surgeon by [adult swim]. It is rated at 17+ so any user with an itunes account with an age under that can not buy the app. If an app does not show a rating it is considered "suitable for all ages"
Adding Explicit content, streaming or otherwise, would mean that the rating would need to go up. So what happens to younger users who already have the app? In most states you can't buy a cd with explicit content unless you are 18. And all music with curse words has to have parental advisory stickers and on itunes they are marked as explicit.
Now I'm not saying that it is right for apple to deny the update, as a matter of fact I think it's ridiculous. I just don't think Apple was prepared for apps that updated with content that was more graphic than the original content.
Pterrence! said 7:57PM on 5-04-2009
He has a problem with it because he paid for the development of the app out of his pocket, and it's a promotional and social tool that's tied to his tour right now. He has a problem with it, because it's meant to showcase how cool the iPhone is, and let the users at shows interact with one another, live, while experiencing the show, together. He has a problem with it because it's really stupid and makes no sense that you can buy his album from iTunes, sync it to your ipod/iphone and forget about it but you can't download similar content to your phone as an application because for some reason it might hurt someone. Oh, and you're wrong - the content was available BEFORE the update. Which is probably something else he has a problem with - it already was approved in the first place. And there's plenty of other material that was available that also has "objectionable content". OH YEAH - and people can comment in a Twinkle-type format, and that content can't really be rated, so being prepared for apps that updated with content which was more graphic than the original content is completely invalid.
He has a problem with it probably because of all the musicians over the years, he's probably the biggest pro-Apple one out there, and over the countless interviews he's given over the years about Apple products, from Macs to Logic to Mainstage to whatever-the-hell (seriously, there's a Mainstage video interview with him on Apple.com right now, and there's been tons of them) you'd think that logic and reason would apply to him and his art, and not stupidity. I think he has a problem with it because it's really, really, really fucking stupid. Evidently that point is lost on you.
VeganTnT said 8:20PM on 5-04-2009
Wow, my apologies for not knowing every fact about this app. I was merely giving my opinion on why the update would have been rejected as Apple continues to be called out on letting inappropriate apps though.
I also stated that I don't agree that it should be rejected and that it's Apple's fault for not being ready for this type of content..
But maybe that was lost on YOU when your rabid fanboy-ism kicked in when I said a curse word is explicit content... Which it is, and is the reason why they have parental advisory stickers on cds (even though I don't agree with it being explicit or warranting of advisory)
SpinThis! said 12:30AM on 5-05-2009
Another day, another app store rejection. Who cares? Historically this will get resolved in the next day or so anyway but in the meantime, every fanboy or anti-Appleite gets all up tight about how Apple is inconsistent, or decency and parental controls, and how everybody should move to Cydia, blah blah blah. That still doesn't change the fact that you're still buying Apple hardware.
I gotta play devil's advocate here and wonder if this drama is actually artificially created to keep us Apple faithful talking about the iPhone and the app store in general. Short of Steve Jobs dying, any hype, good or bad, at the end of the day, is good for Apple. They know the blogs will report the slightest "misstep" or the sticky for the Apple store "going down for maintenance" or whatever. It's a soap opera for Apple nerds.
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