"Apple has taken down an app that uses crowdsourcing to flag sightings of U.S. immigration agents, apparently after being pressured by U.S. authorities. ICEBlock, a free iPhone-only app lets users anonymously report and monitor activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, was no longer available on Apple's App Store as of Friday. "We just received a message from Apple's App Review that #ICEBlock has been removed from the App Store due to "objectionable content',", the developer said in a social media post."
""We created the App Store to be a safe and trusted place to discover apps," the company said in a statement to other media outlets. "Based on information we've received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock, we have removed it and similar apps from the App Store." Downloads of apps like ICEblock have surged as the Trump administration steps up immigration enforcement with surprise raids."
"Downloads of apps like ICEblock have surged as the Trump administration steps up immigration enforcement with surprise raids. The technology has come under fire from authorities after agents were targeted. Officials said last month that a gunman who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas had searched for apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents. The developer said last month that it had more than 1 million users."
Apple removed the ICEBlock app from its App Store after receiving information from law enforcement about safety risks. ICEBlock allowed iPhone users to anonymously report and monitor Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and had topped more than one million users. Users who already downloaded the app should still be able to use it. Apple said law enforcement raised concerns. Downloads of apps like ICEblock surged as the Trump administration increased surprise immigration raids. Authorities criticized the technology after agents were targeted, and officials said a Dallas gunman had searched for apps tracking ICE agents.
Read at The Mercury News
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