toggle

AAPL Stock: 493.42 ( + 0.25 )

MacNN News

Apple bans Murderdrome iPhone app

updated 03:40 pm EDT, Tue August 26, 2008

Apple pulls comic app

Apple has banned the comic book iPhone app Murderdrome, its creators claim. This adds to a growing list of titles that have been banned from the App Store for one reason or another, including Tetris clone Tris, lightsaber emulator PhoneSaber, and the "bling" app I Am Rich. Apple has used a variety of reasons for each pull, this time the iPhone SDK's assertion that content cannot offend Apple's "reasonable" sensibilities.

Infurious claims it would like to work with Apple to create a ratings system, which would allow apps that are "no more offensive than many of the R rated films available to download on iTunes."

The Infurious blog has garnered a range of reactions; the bulk of posters have called for Apple to reverse its stance, or follow the ratings system suggestion. None appear to support Apple's view. "this is ridiculous that this has been banned," says one poster. "the content is comic violence, with no use of serious language and no sign of anything else that would be offensive." Another comments that it "seems entirely unfair that Apple are being so inconsistent about censorship. So I can pay for and download a blackly humorous cartoon or a movie full of stylized violence, but not a similarly themed comicbook?"

by MacNN Staff

(30)

TAGS :

iPhone, developer, iPhone apps, censorship, SDK, App Store, Apple

Share the Article

Facebook Twitter Delious Slash Dot Digg

toggle

Comments

JeffHarris
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 1999

+4

08/26, 03:53pm | report spam | close Reply |
It's Clearly Censorship

Apple is practicing censorship. Period.

What else does Apple sell on iTunes that might be deemed offensive by someone?

I'm surprised, because where violence usually gets a "pass", anything to do with s** or even George Carlin's 7 Words, rarely do. I've played online war games where typing a 4-letter-word into chat can get you kicked or banned. It certainly makes no sense.

Implementing a rating system, if some are concerned about "the children", might work. I loathe that "for the children" tactic used to demonize, marginalize and censor.

Having their work banned by Apple is the best publicity they could have hoped for. Ironically, it's probably good publicity for the App Store, too.

You gotta love all the hypocrisy!

ebeyer
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2004

+3

08/26, 04:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
lawyers..

Apple is so freaking risk-averse that it's banning anything that could find them on the wrong end of a lawsuit. I pin this one on the lawyers.

climacs
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2001

+2

08/26, 04:05pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
it's not censorship

unless the government does it. Apple has pretty much every right to determine what it wants offered in its store.

It's still douche-y of them and Apple should treat its customers like adults. But it is not censorship.

jameshays
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2003

-6

08/26, 04:11pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
As long as...

As long as there is no rating system, this should be banned. The iTunes App store has to remain family friendly until such a rating system and controls are in place. Give it time, and controls will be in place for content like this. Apple has to draw the line somewhere. Do they also allow Virtual Strip teases on the iPhone? Maybe, but not yet, and Apple has every right to protect its store and its ecosystem.

jameshays
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2003

+2

08/26, 04:12pm | report spam | close Reply |
As long as...

As long as there is no rating system, this should be banned. The iTunes App store has to remain family friendly until such a rating system and controls are in place. Give it time, and controls will be in place for content like this. Apple has to draw the line somewhere. Do they also allow Virtual Strip teases on the iPhone? Maybe, but not yet, and Apple has every right to protect its store and its ecosystem.

chadpengar
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2001

+2

08/26, 04:15pm | report spam | close Reply |
it is censorship

just not government censorship. it is within apple's right to censor as the owner of the app store. but to say it is not censorship is ludicrous

eldarkus
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2004

-9

08/26, 04:27pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
it is NOT censorship

Apple is not editing this material, removing or blocking certain items... therefore it is NOT censoring anything. Apple is banning it.

Ok, now that we have had out 7th grade english lesson, it's pretty fucked up of APple to do...

My guess is some parent whined about it (just like those Walmart customers do) and Apple pulled it until it can come up with a ratings system for the App store.

Feathers
Grizzled Veteran

Joined: Oct 1999

-5

08/26, 04:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
hmmm...friendly!

Who says that the outmoded nuclear concept of "the family" is a legitimate foundation for a form of censorship. The web would be red-hot if it was a matter that the content had to be "white-people" friendly or heterosexual "friendly"!!! Family is as offensive a concept to the modern single, unmarried or childless as some of the more traditional segregators! What century are we in? Of course, Apple towed the line of the Chinese government in relation to the pro-Tibet album on iTunes. So nice to know that His Royal Steveness is looking after us! Gee...pretty soon we won't even have to think for ourselves...new from Apple...the i-Diot!

Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

-2

08/26, 04:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
Infurious is no WB

Besides it being Apple's discretion...
You shouldn't equate Infurious' distribution of a violence comic strip to the distribution of violent movies by companies that also offer a wide range of non-violent content.

Elektrix
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Sep 2001

+5

08/26, 05:21pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: censord

Censor: "To keep from being published or transmitted: ban, black out, hush (up), stifle, suppress. Idioms: keep/put a lid on"

Do you want to try again with that "Apple is not censoring something, they're banning it"? I remember a goofy debate with someone on slashdot too about this, who seemed to insist that censorship only applies when performed by a government. But it's quite obvious that censorship can come in many forms.

Elektrix
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Sep 2001

+3

08/26, 05:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: censord

Censor: "To keep from being published or transmitted: ban, black out, hush (up), stifle, suppress. Idioms: keep/put a lid on"

Do you want to try again with that "Apple is not censoring something, they're banning it"? I remember a goofy debate with someone on slashdot too about this, who seemed to insist that censorship only applies when performed by a government. But it's quite obvious that censorship can come in many forms.

vasic
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2005

+4

08/26, 05:58pm | report spam | close Reply |
Not all are adults

Clearly, some of Apple's customers are minors. Many iPhones end up in high school, and these are very legitimate customers. However, just as there is an allowance for iTunes, and control over explicit content, there should be similar control in place for the App Store. Obviously, since there wasn't one initially, Apple had to arbitrarily pull the plug on stuff that would have otherwise been accessible by adults only.

I'm sure one of the subsequent versions of App Store will institute some rating siystem.

Johnny Niles
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2007

+3

08/26, 06:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
Careful

Careful with your list of banned apps. Tris wasn't banned by Apple. The Tetris people tossed a C&D at the Tris author so he pulled it. Not Apple. I've seen two articles on MacNN today that both say Apple banned it, which is not the case.

slider
Mac Elite

Joined: Oct 1999

+2

08/26, 06:52pm | report spam | close Reply |
On the Fence

I don't like the banning thing. I'm unfamiliar with this app. I guess the question I have is this: If an app came out that say gave you a daily 15 second clip of pornography, do you ban it? As another person said, there is no rating system for the app store. Who would be responsible if a 13 year old kid was spotted watch this clip? Apple, ATT, the iPhone owner? Somewhere someone needs to decide what is appropriate and what is not. Some people say s** is natural so it'd be fine, some take offense and think it's evil, others just don't want kids to see it. We are familiar with movie ratings, TV ratings are now pretty normal, video games come with ratings, and you can't browse through a skin mag at the grocery store.

So who is the gatekeeper? Right now the only group that can be is Apple. The issue is not that an app has been banned, the issue people are having is that "Apple" has a closed system and "they" have control. Even if Apple creates and independent group to decide what's a go and a no go, what would keep a parent from suing Apple regardless.

And to you who think Apple is "forcing" their, or more specifically, "Steve's" sense of right and wrong you might want to step back for a minute. Apple will ban any app that might get them in a lawsuit or impact the bottom line in some other way. You want to make a statement, great, start a business, make a million and then put it all on the line for your personal beliefs, of course you won't have any stockholders, at least not on the open market.

If Apple just started banning apps b/c say M$ made it, or they didn't like a comment some app author made on the news about this or that, then, then I would have a problem and probably boycott the app store, but as it stands right now, Apple hasn't banned anything that a majority wouldn't see as reasonable.

Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

+5

08/26, 09:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
Double Standard

If this is being censored as one commenter noted, to keep the iTunes store "family friendly", why then are you not calling for the removal of all R rated movies from the iTunes store? There is quite obviously a double standard in place.

Peter Bonte
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

-2

08/26, 09:09pm | report spam | close Reply |
Maybe its something els

The rating argument is stupid, on the same note Apple would have to ban the whole internet. I think its the distribution model in the app that is the culprit, sooner or later Apple will offer digital books via iTunes and they don't want competition on there own device. Store the comics online and there won't be a problem. Now we have to wait for Apple to bring us the bigger 'comic book iPod' and books in iTunes, the next revolution.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

-3

08/26, 11:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
ratings

Apple's music has "explicit" labels on it (but not all music with a "dirty" word is marked explicit - and some albums are marked explicit because there might be a naughty word in some song). And you can be sure there are rap songs marked 'clean' but still talk of murder and mayhem (I use rap because everyone does - h***, Eric Clapton sung about shooting a sheriff 30 years ago).

Podcasts may or may not have such labels. Movies have ratings. Everything else does, so why not apps? Or did Apple think no one would dare make an app that might offend someone.

Dark Goob
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2001

0

08/26, 11:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
Retarded.

Just put it on a freaking website and look at it through Safari. WHAT THE h*** IS THE BIG DEAL. Besides, this is the whole problem with one company being the source for all software on a platform. Anyway this whole thing is just retarded. RETARDED. Get a life.

macnixer
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2006

0

08/27, 01:19am | report spam | close Reply |
Thank you Apple

for once using some sensible censorship till you can implement a fair and working rating system. I get sick whenever I am confronted with something related to blood especially violence. for whatever reason, my beliefs in non-violence and hatred is not only a preference but a mental state. I actually would prefer that such sites / magazines and publications are not easily available to users.

The publishers of this "comic" book ( which it is not as comic relates to comedy and this book appears to be about murder / tragedy) should look at making a web app or iphone compatible pages so that people with express interest would visit the pages and people who do not want to will keep away and also be excused from seeing the name "Murderdrome" every time they start App Store in iTunes or iPhone.

Appreciate the effort Apple.

ViktorCode
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2006

+2

08/27, 04:11am | report spam | close Reply |
Playing safe

Want it or not, Apple will be playing safe by banning any content that could bring Apple under fire. I don't believe for a second there are developers who hadn't a clue what kind of content Apple might ban - this would require tremendous level of ignorance and lack of common sense. You may risk creating soft that may raise questions, but if risking you may also lose. Risking gives you an edge over competitors who are playing safe, so please don't whine if you got banned. That was your choice.

Constable Odo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2007

+1

08/27, 07:56am | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
I'm for Apple banning

what it deems offensive. I don't want Apple to be attacked by churches or angry parents or anything. Keep the App Store PG-13 or whatever. I think that Apple should provide some alternative to get adult content on an iPhone, but not from the App Store. Let them give some sort of license to stores to carry every type of offensive stuff imaginable so that that it would be easily downloaded to the iPhone.

Since it's Apple's site, they should decide on whatever they want to appear. I don't understand why people always feel they're being cheated by Apple. I agree that those comics seem pretty tame to me, but then again so do adult s** acts and bondage. Apple has to draw the line somewhere. Even though I can't think of anything perverse enough to upset me, I'd prefer the App Store maintain a family type atmosphere.

I'm asking honestly, do other mobile platform stores allow any type of content to be downloaded to devices? Do they even allow child pornography and g** s**? I'm curious about how Amazon with the Kindle decides what type of content is allowed. This is a very interesting topic.

hayesk
Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

+2

08/27, 10:17am | report spam | close Reply |
Banning vs Censorship

Apple is not banning this app. Apple is not censoring this app. They are choosing not to sell it.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

-1

08/27, 10:23am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: banning...

Apple is not banning this app. Apple is not censoring this app. They are choosing not to sell it.

Technically, since Apple is the only means to procure this app, they are technically banning it. The tricky part is Apple being the sole-source provider. It isn't like a local bookstore not selling "The DaVinci Code", since you have other options to buy it.

And I would think that censorship (the way most people perceive it, at least) would apply if they modified the app to prevent certain words/scenes/images/sound from being heard, or removed it, or asked/demanded it be removed.

bleee
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Mar 2002

-1

08/27, 11:11am | report spam | close Reply |
Apple becoming big brothr

I don't like where this is going... Does Apple ban Applications with religious references? if not why not? how about political views? I don't think Apple should tell me how to use my iPhone. I've paid for my bandwidth, my airtime, and the iPhone. I should be able to use it how I see fit.

bleee
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Mar 2002

-3

08/27, 11:12am | report spam | close Reply |
Apple becoming big brothr

I don't like where this is going... Does Apple ban Applications with religious references? if not why not? how about political views? I don't think Apple should tell me how to use my iPhone. I've paid for my bandwidth, my airtime, and the iPhone. I should be able to use it how I see fit.

Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

0

08/27, 05:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
Regardless of censorship

Regardless on whether or not you think it's censorship...I think this open letter to Steve Jobs that I saw is...really good.
http://jeremyricketts.com/dear-mr-jobs/

Show More Comments

Login Here

toggle

Network Headlines

02/10	Apple sells scaled-back 13-inch MacBook...
02/10	Apple sues Motorola over alleged Qualcomm...
02/10	Leaks: whole MacBook Pro line to drop...
02/10	Jobs did serve on Bush export council...
02/10	Amazon could have Kindle Fire 9-inch...

Show All

02/10	Apple sues Motorola over alleged Qualcomm...
02/10	Leaks: whole MacBook Pro line to drop...
02/10	Amazon could have Kindle Fire 9-inch...
02/09	Google said making self-branded wireless...
02/09	NOAA switches support from BlackBerry...

Show All

02/09	Apple explores environment-sensitive...
02/08	Paul McCartney to perform live concert...
02/06	Microsoft prepping Dynamics CRM apps...
02/03	iBooks Author update clarifies EULA...
02/02	Bug in iTunes Match may switch 'explicit...

Show All

02/10	$380 off refurbished 2.8GHz Mac Pro...
02/09	iHome Dual Alarm Clock for Apple iPod...
02/08	Save 69% on SanDisk Cruzer 32GB USB...
02/07	Refurb. Olympus 14MP Digital Camera...
02/06	17-inch, 2.2GHz MacBook Pro, cut to...

Show All

toggle

Apple bans Murderdrome iPhone app

updated 03:40 pm EDT, Tue August 26, 2008

Apple pulls comic app

It's Clearly Censorship

lawyers..

it's not censorship

As long as...

As long as...

it is censorship

it is NOT censorship

hmmm...friendly!

Infurious is no WB

re: censord

re: censord

Not all are adults

Careful

On the Fence

Double Standard

Maybe its something els

ratings

Retarded.

Thank you Apple

Playing safe

I'm for Apple banning

Banning vs Censorship

Re: banning...

Apple becoming big brothr

Apple becoming big brothr

Regardless of censorship

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

Connect tools:

Subscribe

to our RSS

Follow us

on Twitter

10 Most Read

10 Most Discussed

MacNN Marketplace

Apple bans Murderdrome iPhone app

updated 03:40 pm EDT, Tue August 26, 2008

Apple pulls comic app

Related Articles

Recent Articles

It's Clearly Censorship

lawyers..

it's not censorship

As long as...

As long as...

it is censorship

it is NOT censorship

hmmm...friendly!

Infurious is no WB

re: censord

re: censord

Not all are adults

Careful

On the Fence

Double Standard

Maybe its something els

ratings

Retarded.

Thank you Apple

Playing safe

I'm for Apple banning

Banning vs Censorship

Re: banning...

Apple becoming big brothr

Apple becoming big brothr

Regardless of censorship

Login Here

Register for our weekly email newsletter:

Connect tools:

Subscribe

to our RSS

Follow us

on Twitter

10 Most Read

10 Most Discussed

MacNN Marketplace