Apple have pulled Wikileaks apps claiming it is illegal. However, U.S. government up to this point is still not able to state exactly what law Wikileak have violated. They might have to resort to passing new laws to make Wikileak illegal. But that would surely generate outcry from people who still care about free speech and free press.
Apple had also claimed that it might put individual or group in harm’s way. So far the media have been parsing what can and cannot be published so no individual have really been put in harm’s way. Although it does have the side effect of embarrassing government officials and forcing them to be more open and honest.
Update: Apple Insider have reviewed the Apple’s Store Review Guidelines found this line:
Apps that include the ability to make donations to recognized charitable organizations must be free” and “the collection of donations must be done via a website in Safari or an SMS”.
This was not the excuse given by Apple to Business Insider – they have used the two mentioned earlier. And as PC World had pointed out , if that is the only reason, they could have informed the app developer. If this was the excuse used by Apple to begin with, then maybe it would have seem more legitimate.
PoliTeching 