Google Removes Ice-spotting App Following Apple’s Iceblock Crackdown

Just 1 time aft Apple took down nan iOS App Store listing for ICEBlock, Google has confirmed to 404 Media that it has removed a akin app, Red Dot, from nan Google Play Store. The institution besides reportedly said it “removed apps that stock nan location of what it describes arsenic a susceptible group aft a caller convulsive enactment against them connected to this benignant of app.” 

On Thursday, Apple removed ICEBlock and akin apps, including Red Dot, aft facing unit from nan Department of Justice. Attorney General Pam Bondi said to Fox News connected Thursday that “ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents astatine consequence conscionable for doing their jobs, and unit against rule enforcement is an intolerable reddish statement that cannot beryllium crossed.” In consequence to nan move, ICEBlock developer Joshua Aaron said successful a connection to 404 Media that nan app is “protected speech,” adding that Apple is “capitulating to an authoritarian regime.” 

Both ICEBlock and Red Dot let users to anonymously study sightings of ICE agents and position adjacent reports. Red Dot’s website says nan app combines personification reporting pinch “verified reports from aggregate trusted sources” to show ICE activity. 

Google told 404 Media that it didn’t person immoderate informing from nan DOJ, but that it “bans apps pinch a precocious consequence of abuse” and has a request for contented moderation apps pinch user-generated content.“ICEBlock was ne'er disposable connected Google Play, but we removed akin apps for violations of our policies,” Google told 404 Media. The Verge reached retired to Google pinch a petition for remark but didn’t instantly perceive back.