Discord, the gaming-focused social networking app which lets users create public or private servers to chat via text, image, voice, and video livestreaming, announced this week that “all users on the iOS platform (including those aged 18+) will be blocked from joining and accessing NSFW servers. iOS users aged 18+ will still be able to join and access NSFW communities on the desktop and web versions of Discord.”
Discord didn’t specify why iOS users are being treated differently from those on other platforms, but Apple’s iOS Developer Guidelines say that apps with user-generated content “that end up being used primarily for pornographic content… do not belong on the App Store.” The guidelines allow for “incidental” NSFW content generated by users on web-based services if “the content is hidden by default and only displayed when the user turns it on via your website,” a caveat that apparently isn’t sufficient for Discord’s comfort.
Discord is reportedly in the late stages of acquisition talks — which could value the service at $10 billion — with Microsoft and other parties. The service has over 140 million monthly users and 300 million registered accounts.
MacDailyNews Take: Seems like a bit of extra caution on the part of Discord in the midst of acquisition talks.
We do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone. Folks who want porn can buy an Android phone. – Steve Jobs, April, 2010
Apple CEO Tim Cook fears people not being able to ‘express themselves fully – then blocks expression that he doesn’t like. “Morals” were the excuse for racism and sexism for ages.
Apple is a private company, a workplace, so they are allowed to determine what material is suitable for that workplace. They should not—and in my opinion cannot—be compelled to violate their own published standards by distributing an app “used primarily for pornographic content.” A company is entitled to control its own image. The First Amendment does not limit its ability to do so.
I agree with you and yet at the same time I wish Cook wouldn’t be hypocritical… saying things like his fear is a limitation of one’s personal expression and yet situations like this come up where one’s personal expression runs contrary to what Apple wants to portray.
While there’s a part of me wants to understand their motivations… they want to create a child-friendly environment not unlike what Walt Disney set out to do when creating Disneyland. However, in the same way that Walt’s vision has since been so massively compromised by Disney’s WOKE executives… so too has Apple’s vision.
Another example was Cook’s decision to ban Parlor from the store SOLELY for political reasons shows that the rational he’s used to prop up the justifications he’s referenced for his and the company’s actions just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
Parler was removed because they refused to comply with the requests made by Apple to remove content violating App Store guidelines.
Facebook and Twitter may have similar content, but they at least try to comply
Amazon removed Parler for distributing illegal content
Dan, if that were true Apple would have also banned Facebook and Twitter apps.
Amazon removed Parlor because they (like Apple) want to ban political speech.
Garbage conspiracy theories too.
Absolutely.
Nuff said…
“Cook’s decision to ban Parlor from the store SOLELY for political reasons shows that the rational he’s used to prop up the justifications he’s referenced for his and the company’s actions just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.”
Yes, indeed!
Banning Parlor “SOLELY for political reasons” is absolutely correct. His rational “terms of service” is nothing more than an obvious pressured knee jerk cover excuse and as you say, “doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.” Not now, not EVER.
Steve Jobs was a genius and very liberal in his politics coming from California, dropping acid growing up in the sixties. But he was brilliant staying OUT of politics and not dragging his company in favoring one political team over another, which is bad for business and puts employees in a tough spot, particularly if you are conservative.
Present day Apple, obviously woke Timmy is not as smart and because Apple is so rich, Cook doesn’t give a rat’s arse if he OFFENDS over half of the citizens in the USA and around the world. The only people he worries about offending daily are his Communist Masters in China for many obvious reasons no need to spell them out, we know the reasons.
Tim Cook’s position should be reassigned or terminated for three main reasons:
1~ Dragging Apple and all employees without their consent or input, into the most Leftist WOKE politics of any corporation on Earth.
2~ Bowing to CCP China and turning a total blind eye without a peep to some of the worst human rights abuses on the planet and doing business in a country with slave labor leading to record profits.
3~ No personal VISION or CREATIVE talents Apple is now me-too copying many innovations from other companies years late and his only talent riding Steve’s iPhone gravy train of record profits while reading balance sheets…
Discord ISN’T primarily used for pornographic content. Even the NSFW sites are often less than 10% stuff you could not show on TV. People drawn together by common interests still talk about anything. Look how often MDN threads diverge from anything mac related. Imagine if the Mods were fine with that and just made threads for anything the posters wanted to talk about.
Here we go again, the Number One Cook BLIND APOLOGIST.
Yes, we know Apple is a private company you point out over and ove ad nauseum.
What you don’t point out — Apple takes ADVANTAGE of legal protections under Section 230, not afforded other “private business.” The right to CENSOR free speech with IMPUNITY, pull apps and cancel contracts at will with absolutely no explanation.
When pressed, they pull out the same magical one size fits all sentence, “violates our terms of service.”
There, I fixed it for you…
So Discord is telling Apple that Apple’s TOS does not comply with Discord so Discord is blocking Apple’s iOS app. Hell, is that rich or what? Hey Tim, not everyone agrees with Apple’s stance on porn, just like others may not agree with the Gay lifestyle. What a boring world this would be if it were left to You Tim to dictate how everything should be.
Karma’s a bitch, huh Tim!
Discord is a private company, so they are allowed to determine what material is allowed, not Apple. Right Tex?
Obviously, Ha.
EVERY serious artist who has drawn on an iPad has drawn a nude at some point. It’s a necessary part of realistic drawing. Apple should should not sell those pens if they are going to be like this about art.
By definition, art cannot be pornography. Pornography is material that intentionally appeals to a prurient interest in sex or excretion, that violates contemporary community standards, and that has no redeeming social or artistic merit. As Mr. Justice Stewart famously observed, it is hard to define, but judges and juries know it when they see it. Artistic portrayals of the human body fall well within contemporary expectations for legitimate art.
That said, it is Apple’s App Store and they can determine what to sell in it, just like Safeway can determine what brands of cereal to stock.
Eye of the beholder… where one sees an anaconda another sees an orange mushroom.
“By definition, art cannot be pornography.”
But it can be NSFW. (Not safe for work.) and that is what is being banned on iOS. If a game has as much nudity as, say, Ranma 1/2, could it be on the Apple store? Nope.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_in_the_Louvre
Would content like this fly on the Apple store, if it wasn’t grandfathered in?