500px Gets Pulled from App Store due to Nude Images Appearing in Search

[Akshay Masand]

Apple recently pulled both the 500px and the ISO500 apps due to a claimed breach of App Store rules regarding pornographic material. The move effectively cuts off new user access to the popular photo sharing apps which target professional photographers and artists. According to TechCrunch, the apps’ removal came following a late-night discussion between 500px and Apple over an app update that was flagged for violating App Store policy.

The app, which has been in the App Store for over 16 months is a well-designed and long-standing app that helps bring the online photography community of the same name to the iOS platform. The company’s COO, Evgeny Tchebotarev said the iOS versions combined have been downloaded over one million times, with 500px yielding almost one million downloads and the newly acquired ISO500 accounting for over 200,000 downloads.

After an update to the 500px app was submitted to Apple a few days ago, a reviewer flagged the app for objectionable content. Ultimately, it was found to be too easy to search for and come across nude photos through the built-in search function, which resulted in the app being pulled. According to an Apple spokesman:

The app was removed from the App Store for featuring pornographic images and material, a clear violation of our guidelines. We also received customer complaints about possible child pornography. We’ve asked the developer to put safeguards in place to prevent pornographic images and material in their app.

Tchebotarev stated that 500px already comes with a safeguard against the unwanted search of nude photos. He argued that the default app settings are set to “safe search” mode, which filters out nude images. In order to lift the safe search, users have to leave the app and make changes to their account settings on the company’s desktop website. According to him:

Some people are mature enough to see these photos but by default it’s safe.

He continued to argue by saying that 500px doesn’t allow photos deemed to be “pornographic” in nature onto its service. Tchebotarev noted that all nude photos are artistic and can be defined as art and not pornography. Despite his side of the story, the app is no longer in the App Store.

Source: The Next Web, TechCrunch

[iLoveWindows&iPhone]

So the only fair thing to do then would be to pull the Google search app, since you can turn off the SafeSearch option, and see a unlimited amount of hardcore porn images when searched for... Or you can leave SafeSearch on and see a unlimited amount of softcore porn...Quite a double standard. Apple needs to relax on this whole issue and realize ADULTS use their devices!

[Wargasmtornado]

^ what this guy said ^

[*T*]

Safari had porn since day 1... I can personally attest to that

[CinePhone]

So the only fair thing to do then would be to pull the Google search app, since you can turn off the SafeSearch option, and see a unlimited amount of hardcore porn images when searched for... Or you can leave SafeSearch on and see a unlimited amount of softcore porn...Quite a double standard. Apple needs to relax on this whole issue and realize ADULTS use their devices!

You are so right!

[tridley68]

Safari had porn since day 1... I can personally attest to that

cool and i missed it!

[mrwalleyeman]

I just downloaded the 500px app for ipad a few minutes ago after it was supposedly pulled from the app store. I did do a search for the iso500 and doesnt find the app.

[nat130]

I suppose from Apple's perspective they need to maintain a "family friendly" kind of feel.
I agree with everyone saying you can just google this stuff, etc. but parents can easily restrict access to certain content. Not so easy through a third party app though, which I guess is why Apple needs to restrict that kind of content from its AppStores.

[The6uest]

I just downloaded the 500px app for ipad a few minutes ago after it was supposedly pulled from the app store. I did do a search for the iso500 and doesnt find the app.

Both the "500px Explorer Free" and "ISO500 for 500px" apps are still in the AppStore. Was there another 500px app that they pulled?

EDIT: LOL! Yeah, ISO500 even has a 'nude' category! Don't tell Apple!

[szr]

I agree with everyone saying you can just google this stuff, etc. but parents can easily restrict access to certain content. Not so easy through a third party app though, which I guess is why Apple needs to restrict that kind of content from its AppStores.

It's not just being able to go to images.google.com, but there is also a dedicated Google app that has an image search option that does in fact allow one to search for such images as well, so as other have alluded to, why is the Google app treated differently?

[RokeSmoreMeefer]

I suppose from Apple's perspective they need to maintain a "family friendly" kind of feel.
I agree with everyone saying you can just google this stuff, etc. but parents can easily restrict access to certain content. Not so easy through a third party app though, which I guess is why Apple needs to restrict that kind of content from its AppStores.

Let's not forget the built in Mail app, don't want people receiving emails with nude photos. Oh, and let's get rid iMessage too, we certainly don't want people to be able to receive nude photos there either.

Here's a thought - LET PARENTS DO THEIR DAMN JOBS.

I love this part:

We also received customer complaints about possible child pornography.

"Possible child pornography". Awesome. It either is or it isn't. Moron app reviewers.

[aidanharris]

Meh. The best thing for them to do here IMO is to just agree with Apple and make an ad-supported web app instead...

That or they could release the source code and let people compile it themselves...