iPhone News Updated

9 Banned Apps: 6. Freedom Time

6. Freedom Time
The defense: The accused was a partisan political spoof that featured a cartoon Dubya swinging his arms counter-clockwise on a backwards-running clock and a countdown showing the seconds left till the end of the George Bush presidency.
The complaint: After Apple rejected the application, developers Juggleware appealed directly to Apple el presidente Steve Jobs, who responded, “… I think this app will be offensive to roughly half our customers. What’s the point?”
Fairness of the judgment: We saw how effective the boycotts of the Dixie Chicks and France were, so what exactly was Jobs so afraid of? Besides stifling political speech, even glib hackery (hey what’s a Fox News Reader doing in my App Store?), never sits well with people, and so this one’s a seriously bad call on Apple’s part. If the app featured violence, or obscenity, then sure, it’s worth taking a stand. But this one’s out of line. What’s next, pulling all the hunting apps because it offends vegetarians and gun control proponents?
Likelihood of appeal: Barring a constitutional amendment, the question is moot — Dubya is happily in Texas and Juggleware filed an appeal and had it denied by Apple’s turtleneck-wearing chief justice. But we’re sure this debate will arise again soon enough under the new presidency. Stay tuned.

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