Apple pulled out applications that allow users to note the observations of officers from the US immigration and customs activities (ICE).
The technical giant stated that he removed Iceblock from his application store after the law enforcement agencies reported “Risks of Security” related to him and “similar applications”.
Another application called ICE Immigration Alerts was removed from the App Store and Google Play. The third, Koki, was also removed from Google Play.
In her statement, the US Prosecutor General Pam Bondi said that she “demanded” the removal of Iceblock, which said that it was “intended to threaten ice”.
The creator of the application contacted the BBC Perifive after receiving an email, informing him of the removal, and accused Apple of “surrender in the authoritarian regime”.
The solution means that existing Iceblock users can continue to use the application, but it cannot be uploaded.
This year, a number of applications were published in response to the suppression of President Trump about illegal immigration and lifting in ice raids.
Critics – such as the creator of Iceblock – accuse the government of abuse of their powers and “bring terror” to the streets of the United States.
The free application works, allowing users to report on the observations of ICE officers. It was loaded more than millions of times in the United States.
Nevertheless, Bondi claimed that he was used to aim at ICE officers. The FBI says that the person who aim at an ice object in Dallas In September – the murder of two detainees – used similar applications to track the movements of agents and their vehicles.
In the statement, Apple said: “We created the App Store to be a safe and reliable place to search for applications.
“Based on the information that we received from law enforcement agencies about the risks of security related to Iceblock, we deleted it and similar applications from the App Store.”
But its creator, Joshua Aaron, denied that it posed a threat.
“Iceblock is no different from the high -speed Kroud trap, which is all noticeable for mapping, including Apple's Maps application,” he said.
“This is a protected speech in accordance with the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.”
M -n Aaron, who worked in the technological industry for many years, previously said to BBC to confirm that he developed an application not preoccupied with a surge of immigration raids.
“Of course, I watched quite carefully during the first administration of Trump, and then I listened to the rhetoric during the second campaign,” he said.
“My brain began to shoot in what was supposed to happen, and what I could do so that people were safe.”
The White House and the FBI criticized the application after it is launched in April, and the loading of the Rose.
In a statement for the BBC, the representative of the Department of Internal Security, Trisha Maclaflin, said:
“Applications for tracking ice expose the life of men and women of law enforcement agencies when they follow terrorists, cruel gangs and cruel criminal rings.”
“But, of course, the media unfold this correct solution for Apple to remove these applications when they penetrate the pressure, and do not prevent further bloodshed and prevent the law enforcement agencies from killing,” she added.
The creator of the ICE Imgeration Alerts application, who asked to remain anonymous, told BBC that he was pulled out from the Apple and App App for several hours from each other.
They said that Apple informed them that the application was removed at the request of the “law enforcement agencies” compared to similar problems that it can be used to harm employees.
Separately, Google allegedly told them that the application was removed from anxiety, that “will undermine the user trust in the Google Play ecosystem.”
“Apple did not provide the opportunity to appeal the decision,” said the application developer, based in New Zealand. “Google gave me seven days to appeal, but without any clear explanations it is difficult to appeal, and I do not want to risk it in the future, affecting my account.”
“This is a somewhat frightening commentary on freedom of speech,” they added. “As far as I know, no dangerous incidents occurred. Unfortunately, this is just control over information. ”
Bi -Bi -and I approached Apple for comment.
In his statement, Google confirmed that he deleted “similar applications” in Iceblock for “violations” [its] Politicians. “He did not say what applications or the nature of violations.
