Nuked Apple and Google have begun cracking down on apps related to the coronavirus, according to a new report from CNBC. Apple is rejecting any and all coronavirus-related mobile software not from recognized health organizations or the government. Google is not returning any results for coronavirus-related searches on the play store.
Apple appears to be catching new coronavirus-related apps in its manual review process. One developer told CNBC they received a message from the iPhone maker saying,’apps with information about current medical information need to be submitted by a recognized institution’.
Apple is apparently evaluating whether apps that provide information can be trusted sources of information for the public. Apple declined to comment for this story.
Few iOS apps related to the virus are appearing in search results or in top app rankings. There are existing and mostly benign options available. A covid-19 (the illness caused by the novel coronavirus) app from Unbound.
Google appears to be deliberately blocking search results for the virus and covid-19. Yet we do n’t know if the company has an outright ban on new apps related to the coronavirus.
Google declined to comment for this story, but the company did point the verge to a series of approved apps. Apps that are found to be in violation of its’sensitive events’ policy can be removed as well, so it does n’t just apply to yet-to-be-published apps still in review.
Facebook, the company’s Instagram subsidiary, and Twitter have instituted bans on misinformation. Amazon is currently grappling with waves of new product listings that are exploiting the situation.
