iDuh re-Duh April 9, 2010

Posted by paladinlogic in iPhone.
Tags: Apple, iPhone apps, rejection
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Just got word this morning that Apple has rejected our most recent update to our iDuh app.

The reason?

Thank you for submitting iDuh to the App Store. We’ve reviewed iDuh and determined that we cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section  3.3.14 from the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement which states:

“Applications may be rejected if they contain content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, sounds, etc.) that in Apple’s reasonable judgement may be found objectionable, for example, materials that may be considered obscene, pornographic, or defamatory.”

Please refer to the attached screenshots for examples of this content.

I added the emphasis, BTW.  But, really … OMG! … ridiculing public figures!  How?  By quoting them.  You are probably asking yourself … what horrendous things might have been in those screen shots … errr … here they are:

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Clearly those lists of names constitute “obscene, pornographic, or defamatory” material.  Um … But the quotes – the quotes are “obscene, pornographic, or defamatory” – aren’t they?

Interestingly, the material in the update is no “worse” than the material that is in the app already.  And already approved and available for download.  And note that we take care to be equal opportunity quoters … tilt the phone to the left for a quote from a liberal … tilt to the right for a quote from a conservative … we have no political axe to grind.  Well, not in this app, anyway …

If you are wondering what could be defamatory … well, go here for a reasonably good layman’s definition.  Since our quotes come from public figures … from published sources … then the standard for “defamation” is pretty high.  All we do is tell the folks what these folks have said …

But there is more … back when we first developed iDuh it languished – yes, languished – in the Apple (dis)approval process for more than 6 weeks.  It languished so long that our second app (TavernTrix for those of you keeping score) was approved before iDuh … we wondered at the time whether some sanctimonious sensitive person was taking grave exception to us holding up our (so-called) leaders’ “pearls of wisdom” for our wonderment and awe …

Yes, when public figures say things that are ridiculous … they ridicule themselves … I’m just the messenger.  And, yes, this rejection notice will be in the next update of iDuh

C’mon Apple, chill out …