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Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

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Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#41

Post by camhart »

bborud wrote: post #37

This is the main reason why I am not interested in being an app developer. Your business is in the hands of someone who can cut you off and get away with not even giving you the time of day. Not worth the risk. (That being said: I'm not sure I would have approved an app like yours since it is designed to invade privacy)

The hesitancy to approve is understood on my part. Have a child who's negatively impacted by tech though, or be married to someone who is, or attend an addiction recovery group for any online addiction, and you'll be persuaded otherwise. Apple allows parental control apps.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#42

Post by matheusmoreira »

camhart wrote: post #39
matheusmoreira wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So don't buy/install it. But don't take away that choice from other people. You mean the choice to install malware on other people's devices? Why shouldn't it be taken away?

Reveal to a loved one, someone of their choosing. It's not revealing it to the world or even to Truple. > The whole purpose of this software is to the reveal the private life of others. Why should people be able to install malware on other people's devices? People shouldn't be allowed to do it to other peoples devices. People should be allowed to install software on their down devices, for their kids or for their own…

If it's your own device, I guess it's fine. I'm not sure I would consider my child's phone to be my device though. I certainly wouldn't have tolerated that sort of behavior from my parents when I was a kid myself.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#43

Post by ghostly_s »

openthc wrote: post #24

Hmm, ages ago we added a cannabis related app on Apple/iOS -- and there were loads of other (small-ish) already on there -- to help grow, or find (to buy) or to review cannabis products. Ours was for regualtory compliance -- a legal obligation for cannabis businesses. REJECTED! And after a 6mo appeal/review process -- with moving goal-posts -- we were allowed back in. YAY. And then they started getting into the appli…

What regulation requires you to publish an app? That strikes me as very unusual.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#44

Post by camhart »

amelius wrote: post #40

Parental control sounds like something the OS should do, not an app. From that viewpoint, I think you chose an application that inherently has a risk of being taken over by Apple, and frankly, you should not be surprised that something like this happened.

Whether I agree or not, they aren't doing it. They've had decades to build it in, but what is built in sucks and is easily bypassed. See https://protectyoungeyes.com/12-ingenious-screen-time-hacks-....

While I wasn't so aware of the risk when I started, I've learned plenty about it over the past 4.5 years.

> frankly, you should not be surprised that something like this happened. Did you read the whole description? The surprising thing is the unfair (unequal) treatment, the silence on their part, and the long delay.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#45

Post by FourHand451 »

openthc wrote: post #24

Hmm, ages ago we added a cannabis related app on Apple/iOS -- and there were loads of other (small-ish) already on there -- to help grow, or find (to buy) or to review cannabis products. Ours was for regualtory compliance -- a legal obligation for cannabis businesses. REJECTED! And after a 6mo appeal/review process -- with moving goal-posts -- we were allowed back in. YAY. And then they started getting into the appli…

It's kind of sad that we went from "there's an app for that" to Apple themselves being a huge obstacle to making useful, feature-rich mobile software. I used to think writing an app would be a fun side project or that a job in mobile development could be cool. These days I don't want to touch it with a six foot pole.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#46

Post by camhart »

matheusmoreira wrote: post #42
camhart wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reveal to a loved one, someone of their choosing. It's not revealing it to the world or even to Truple. > The whole purpose of this software is to the reveal the private life of others. Why should people be able to install malware on other people's devices? People shouldn't be allowed to do it to other peoples devices. People should be allowed to install software on their down devices, for their kids or for their own…

If it's your own device, I guess it's fine. I'm not sure I would consider my child's phone to be my device though. I certainly wouldn't have tolerated that sort of behavior from my parents when I was a kid myself.

Whether the device your child uses is yours, or theirs, that's up to you as the parent to decide.

> I certainly wouldn't have tolerated that sort of behavior from my parents when I was a kid myself.

Kids will be kids. I would have been the same way. I learned to pick a lock on the computer desk as a kid in order to play computer games after I was supposed to be in bed. The issues is the negative impact of tech is only growing, and it's harder and harder for kids to come out unscathed.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#47

Post by nerdjon »

You said other apps are fine, but are those other apps advertising themselves as parental controls or as stalking software?

I took a look at your website https://truple.io and... there is very little mention of this being for parents. TBH looking at the website is... deeply concerning for anyone that would legitimately want to use this product. Especially on a spouse?!?

I am willing to bet part of the issue is the targeting for this app. The functionality is likely second, but they may have special rules when it comes to parental apps. But there is a very very fine line there that can be dangerous when it comes to surveillance.

Last... I find your focus on "online filth" insulting.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#48

Post by amelius »

camhart wrote: post #44
amelius wrote: post #40

Parental control sounds like something the OS should do, not an app. From that viewpoint, I think you chose an application that inherently has a risk of being taken over by Apple, and frankly, you should not be surprised that something like this happened.

Whether I agree or not, they aren't doing it. They've had decades to build it in, but what is built in sucks and is easily bypassed. See https://protectyoungeyes.com/12-ingenious-screen-time-hacks-... . While I wasn't so aware of the risk when I started, I've learned plenty about it over the past 4.5 years. > frankly, you should not be surprised that something like this happened. Did you read the whole description? T…

Ok, but with parental control you are trying to control other apps. Apple does not like that. They want apps to stay in their own sandbox and mind their own business. I agree with you, but given Apple's strong determination to control everything on their platform, what you tried was just doomed to fail from the start.

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#49

Post by zokier »

2.5 years sounds pretty extreme. Not from Apples part (its pretty on-brand), but on your part.. To me it sounds like it would be time to just leave the platform behind and move on with your life? Ask yourself is it really worthwhile to fight the uphill battle against Apple to get your app approved?

Re: Ask HN: Apple revoked developer account for 2.5 years and counting

#50

Post by openthc »

ghostly_s wrote: post #43
openthc wrote: post #24

Hmm, ages ago we added a cannabis related app on Apple/iOS -- and there were loads of other (small-ish) already on there -- to help grow, or find (to buy) or to review cannabis products. Ours was for regualtory compliance -- a legal obligation for cannabis businesses. REJECTED! And after a 6mo appeal/review process -- with moving goal-posts -- we were allowed back in. YAY. And then they started getting into the appli…

What regulation requires you to publish an app? That strikes me as very unusual.

Nothing requires us to publish an app -- but when you make LOB software, the user-base is like "where's the App?" -- so you build one. It's not a strict, absolute requirement -- it's a de-facto requirement (like passing to the left)
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