There are many apps available on the App Store that are considered inappropriate by the Apple Review Board, but Twitter is not one of them. This isn’t to say that Twitter doesn’t have it’s fair share of adult content, because it does, but not as much as other social media apps, including Tinder and Snapchat. What exactly makes Twitter safe enough to be on the App Store? In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at why Twitter isn’t banned on the App Store and just how safe it really is. Why Twitter is not banned on the App Store
Community Standards Have Changed Over Time
Apple’s current community standards state that Apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster’s Dictionary as ‘explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings’ and/or content that seems to be created solely for the purpose of serving as sexual stimulation, are not permitted on the App Store. We have also found that such apps lead to higher rates of complaints from our customers and are a source of frustration within our customer support organization.
Many Apps Have Adult Content
After reviewing many of my favorite social apps, it’s clear that Apple does not outright ban these apps from its store. Instead, Apple regulates each app individually based on its content, age rating and overall safety. I believe that Apple looks at two things before deciding whether to remove a certain app from its store: inappropriate content and how frequently that content appears within an app. On both of these measures, Twitter does very well in comparison to Facebook or any other social media platform. Here’s why
Twitter Is In The News A Lot
Maybe it’s because of all of their troubles over privacy issues, or maybe it’s because they are one of, if not the biggest social media networks in existence. Either way, there is no doubt that Twitter has made a name for itself as one of, if not the biggest social network out there. Not only that, but they have been very successful in terms of making money and being a profitable company.
Apps Are Allowed To Be Used For Non-Consensual Selfies
The first reason why Twitter isn’t banned on Apple’s App Store despite its adult content is because apps are allowed to be used for non-consensual purposes. Apps can be used for anything, even if it’s a violating experience or could hurt someone else. This would include social media apps like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram that give users access to personal information from other people without their permission.
Apps Have Been Deemed Essential by Apple
If you’re going to ban Twitter, then you also have to ban Snapchat and Facebook Messenger, as both of these applications use persistent connections between devices to relay content. This functionality has been deemed essential by Apple, which makes it impossible for these apps to be removed from your mobile device.
Apple Has a Huge Business Interest in China
There are a couple reasons why Apple doesn’t get rid of apps that aren’t suitable for children or content that has been deemed obscene. First and foremost, it wouldn’t make sense from a business perspective to go after Chinese companies like Weibo and WeChat when their local social networks have hundreds of millions of active users. By comparison, even though Facebook has more than 1 billion monthly active users around the world, in China it only has about 30 million.
Some Apps Are Unfairly Censored
Apple decides what to censor and what to allow. It’s time for an even playing field. Here’s why I think Twitter should remain available in the app store
There Isn’t Any Money in Banning an App Like Twitter
Apple has a business to run, and I can tell you there’s no money in banning an app like Twitter. Just look at Google for proof of that. Apple makes most of its revenue from apps and services, not from smartphone sales. Users want access to apps like Facebook, Instagram, Gmail and Snapchat (which is owned by Facebook). Banning any one of these would probably result in many millions of dollars being pulled from Apple’s bank account.
Apple’s Stance On Censorship Is Outdated and Wrong
Apple’s app-review team, which must approve all apps before they are allowed to be sold in Apple’s digital stores, has approved hundreds of emojis with violent connotations. I don’t know what interpretation of U.S. law Apple is relying on here, but these emojis could very well be interpreted as encouraging violence and even terrorist acts. Meanwhile, LGBT content — no matter how positive or useful it may be — remains a point of contention for a lot of people inside and outside Apple.