APPLE CRITICISED FOR ANTI-GAY APP
Apple is being petitioned to remove an application from its App Store that promotes an anti-gay campaign.
The application, which was approved by the company last month, advocates the Manhattan Declaration – a set of principles that oppose same-sex marriage and abortion rights.
After downloading the application, users are asked four questions about these issues, such as “Do you believe in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman?” and “Do you support the right of choice regarding abortion?”
If users answer in favour of LGBT equality or abortion rights they are told that that their responses are incorrect. They are then urged to log on to “a website which espouses hateful and divisive language”.
The application is rated by Apple as having “no objectionable material”.
The petition against the application is hosted by Change.org, a social action platform “empowering people to make a difference across a variety of important causes”.
“Apple has always been among the most progressive companies and earned a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and yet, the company has approved [an] application that is offensive to Americans who support equality and free choice,” reads the petition, which can be found here.
In June, Apple’s App Store reversed a decision to bar an iPad graphic novel version of The Importance of Being Earnest which features two men kissing.
Half ‘n half. I don’t really agree that this app should be removed. It comes down to a question of freedom of expression. Of course if the website users are urged to visit promotes intolerance rather than just being mean, then it should.
That said, the app should be tagged as having objectionable material.