Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#421

Post by jeroenhd » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 2:44 PM UTC

notyourwork wrote: post #73

Zak wrote: post #18

This is exactly what's wrong with Apple's app store exclusivity. It's also what's wrong with mandatory notarization where regulations forbid that, and Google's plan to require developer verification.

Websites don’t need an App Store.

Most people don't know they can "install" a website on their phone, let alone that it allows that website to act like an app.

Discoverability of PWAs is quite bad. I'd love them to become more popular, but attempted solutions range from "user manually needs to hit the install button in a menu" to banners capable of saying "install freewhatsappupdate.xyz for exclusive whatsapp deals"/"click install to verify you're human".

Microsoft actually tried to bring more attention to web apps by adding them to their app store, but nobody uses the MS app store.

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#422

Post by geodel » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 2:48 PM UTC

angoragoats wrote: post #346

beeflet wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't contribute to my 401k or I liquidate whatever is in it as soon as feasible within the tax model. I think I have some index funds but I am going to try to put them into the DOW or gold or something.

I have some bad news for you about the Dow: the top 4 companies by market cap in the Dow are Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon.

It is simple really. "I do things when they are feasible do me. so others must do things when they are feasible to me"

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#423

Post by OutOfHere » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 2:52 PM UTC

richwater wrote: post #409

patcon wrote: post #388

This creeping authoritarianism is why Google's play to force developer registration (before allowing a developers apps to be installed on android) is so irresponsible of Google: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45017028 It's like they don't understand what's possible to be coerced into from there. They cite "danger to users" as the rationale, but their imagination of danger is so damn limited

> This creeping authoritarianism Surely you must see the other side of this in that there is massive fraud taking place via Android phones?

There is even more massive fraud taking place within Google's ecosystem of approved apps on Android. Google does nothing at all about it for the simple reason that Google cashes in on a percentage of the loot. I myself have been scammed by two apps that claimed to offer specific services, but they didn't offer them.

Most privately installed apps are for open source degoogled software that doesn't want to bother with Google.

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#424

Post by 05 » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 2:54 PM UTC

If Russian sanctioned banks regularly manage to get their updated apps through App Store “review”, surely ICEBlock devs can register a shell company and do the same, then text the install link to all current users..

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#425

Post by unethical_ban » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 2:58 PM UTC

atemerev wrote: post #397

ThrowawayTestr wrote: post #385

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Why is Waze allowed since it let's you report speed traps? Because the right to share police locations is protected by the 1st amendment

While I am all for ICEBlock, I am not sure about this one. Is doxxing protected by the first amendment?

Did ICEBlock reveal names of agents that is not publicly available? Location of law enforcement is not doxxing.

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#426

Post by geodel » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 3:07 PM UTC

JustExAWS wrote: post #147

valleyer wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Cook, clearly trying to remain calm, shot back: “When we work on making our devices accessible by the blind, I don’t consider the bloody ROI [return on investment]. When I think about doing the right thing, I don’t think about an ROI.” > Cook then offered his own bottom line to Danhof, or any other critic, one which perfectly sums up his belief that social and political and moral leadership are not antithetical to…

Making devices accessible cost pennies compared to their revenue and didn’t take any real courage. Come back to me when they stand by their convictions when it can cost them billions in tariffs

The thing is no one really stand by conviction against overwhelming force. Apple take billions in loss, cut supply globally resulting in hundred of thousands laid off at vendor or Apple locations.

These grandstanding activists will move on but real people will suffer due to Apple's action.

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#427

Post by big_whack » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 3:09 PM UTC

procinct wrote: post #285

VladVladikoff wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes push notifications are possible on mobile web.

Not on iOS.

Does email work on iOS?

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#428

Post by dialup_sounds » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 3:10 PM UTC

angoragoats wrote: post #348

dialup_sounds wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm skeptical of this angle. If the app in question is being used by some to commit targeted violence, is it really a question of profit and not safety? Does it really take much pressure to want to get out of that position? Does Apple publish apps designed for reporting locations of immigrants or minority groups? Is that a line of business they want to be in at all?

Please show where these apps have been used to commit targeted violence. Your second paragraph reads to me like you’re equating the desire to protest and document the atrocities being committed by government agents to physical threats and violence being committed by unhinged private citizens against minority groups. This is a disingenuous argument.

You do not understand. I am equating the desire of unhinged private citizens to commit violence to the desire of other unhinged private citizens to commit violence. Reasonable people aren't the problem.

"An app that gives you real-time updates on the location of people you deeply dislike" is

It's extremely unlikely that there are not more people out there

The point is that If you're in Apple's position it doesn't especially matter who is being targeted and how many people are actually using the app that way. If they don't want to be in the anonymous people-reporting app game on the basis that it may make people unsafe vis a vis said unhinged private citizens, that's not unreasonable or inconsistent, and it doesn't necessarily take an extraordinary government threat to the business for Apple to want to distance themselves from that kind of app.

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#429

Post by SnuffBox » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 3:11 PM UTC

I don't see the problem. It was an app specifically developed to help people evade American law and attack people who work for the government, how is it a shock that they took it down?

Re: Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from DOJ

#430

Post by hyperhello » Fri, Oct 03, 2025, 3:12 PM UTC

SnuffBox wrote: post #429

I don't see the problem. It was an app specifically developed to help people evade American law and attack people who work for the government, how is it a shock that they took it down?

Or was the takedown designed to help ICE evade American law?