Apple joins the growing list of U.S. companies that have
cut ties with WikiLeaks in recent weeks by removing an application from its
online app store. The app gave users access to the documents posted on the
whistleblower site.
“We removed WikiLeaks because it violated developer
guidelines. An app must comply with all local laws. It may not put an
individual or target group in harms way,” Apple said in a statement.
The WikiLeaks app for the iPhone and iPod Touch is an
unofficial app and was not developed by anyone working for the controversial
site. Along with giving users the ability to search through the leaked cables,
users can get live updates from the site’s Twitter feed and donate to the
organization. The app also forwarded
users to WikiLeaks mirrors.
As Wired noted, the app didn’t do anything more than what
was already possible using the Safari mobile browser.
For more, read the eWeek article: Apple Drops WikiLeaks App from App Store.