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Apple said on Thursday that it had removed ICEBlock and other similar ICE-tracking apps from its App Store after it was contacted by President Donald Trump's administration, in a rare instance of apps being taken down due to a U.S. federal government demand.
Alphabet's Google also removed similar apps on Thursday for policy violations, but the company said it was not approached by the Justice Department before taking the action.
The app alerts users to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in their area, which the Justice Department says could increase the risk of assault on U.S. agents.
[...] Apple removed more than 1,700 apps from its App Store in 2024 in response to government demands, but the vast majority — more than 1,300 — came from China, followed by Russia with 171 and South Korea with 79.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Username on Wednesday October 08, @02:13PM (23 children)
Tracking anyone apps should be illegal. It's a doxxing campaign. Imagine if Trump came out with a democrat tracking app that had your face and location on it. How would you feel about it?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by epitaxial on Wednesday October 08, @02:24PM
We wouldn't need this if the brownshirts wore proper law enforcement identification and stopped hiding behind masks. Are they actual law enforcement or some random people with Temu tactical gear? They drive rental minivans so their vehicles have no federal identification either.
I guarantee every one of those motherfuckers was pitching a fit during the pandemic when Target asked them to please wear a thin paper mask in the store.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by epitaxial on Wednesday October 08, @02:52PM
He's most likely already doing it. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/-enemy-trump-claims-democrats-are-dangerous-us-foreign-adversaries-rcna175198 [nbcnews.com]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Tork on Wednesday October 08, @03:23PM (8 children)
They're not 'tracking anyone' they're tracking law enforcement.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈 - Give us ribbiti or make us croak! 🐸
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 08, @03:50PM (1 child)
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/09/19/indiana-governor-threatens-licenses-of-who-teachers-celebrate-political-violence-online/ [indianacapitalchronicle.com]
https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2024/02/06/rokitas-new-eyes-on-education-portal-prompts-pushback-from-indiana-school-officials/ [indianacapitalchronicle.com]
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday October 08, @04:03PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈 - Give us ribbiti or make us croak! 🐸
(Score: 2, Disagree) by Username on Wednesday October 08, @05:24PM (5 children)
A LEO isn't anyone? That kind of dehumanizing language is why assassins are coming out of the woodwork to kill people. It's ok to kill LEOs because they're not people. Sorry, but, they are most certainly people. They have families. They have rights too.
(Score: 5, Touché) by Tork on Wednesday October 08, @05:44PM
No, they're not. And you can fuck right off with the 'dehumanizing language' bullshit in light of the ICE-tained context we're discussing this in. LEOs are not private citizens, you'll note the visible identification, the requirement they give you their badge number, and the bodycams whose footage can be FOI'd. If you're gonna whine about apples, whine about apples instead of pancakes.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈 - Give us ribbiti or make us croak! 🐸
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 08, @06:24PM (1 child)
So how many agents do you know?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by epitaxial on Wednesday October 08, @06:43PM
None, I don't associate with nazis.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by number11 on Wednesday October 08, @07:04PM
Dehumanizing language? You mean like the Demented Don, Whiskey Pete, and Blondi use?
ICE wasn't getting tracked by an app. The app was to warn people about potentially criminal activity by goons concealing their identity and driving rental cars. No, it's not ok to kill LEOs unless it's self-defense, and they have rights too. But it should be exactly the same rights as anyone else, no more and no less.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Friday October 10, @06:16PM
A LEO isn't anyone?
No, it isn't. A Low Earth Orbit is no one, it's an it.
Do you even know what this site is about, son?
Mad at your neighbors? Join ICE, $50,000 signing bonus and a LICENSE TO MURDER!
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Thexalon on Wednesday October 08, @04:11PM (5 children)
These aren't "anyone", though, these are people in the employ of the US government engaged in their official duties. Courts have ruled repeatedly that We The People are allowed to do things like identify officers by their name and badge number and film them when they're working, even though cops hate those rules.
Also: "A van full of ICE officers was spotted at this location" is different from "This ICE officer lives at 123 Walpole Street, Springfield, ST 12345, and is home from 10 PM to 6 AM."
Also also: A judge that recently ruled against Trump had her house bombed within hours of Trump administration officials saying publicly that something bad should happen to her in retaliation for the ruling.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Username on Wednesday October 08, @05:15PM (4 children)
Why on earth would you want criminals to know the location of law enforcement?
(Score: 5, Touché) by HiThere on Wednesday October 08, @05:24PM
Because some "law enforcement" are actually dangerous law breakers operating under color of law.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Whoever on Wednesday October 08, @05:25PM (1 child)
Better ban the NextDoor website and app. People frequently discuss the presence of law enforcement in real time on that site/app.
Most of the immigrants targeted by ICE are not criminals. Please take your strawman and shove it!
(Score: 2, Disagree) by Barenflimski on Wednesday October 08, @06:06PM
I'd happily ban Nextdoor. It helps to make good neighbors toxic.
(Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday October 08, @05:34PM
I can't speak for Android but Apple's App Store does not do a background check to confirm you are a criminal before downloading an app.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈 - Give us ribbiti or make us croak! 🐸
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 08, @11:11PM
There is a different between tracking citizens and tracking government officials acting in their official capacity. If you can't see that, you're just an ignorant Trumptard.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 09, @12:05AM
They're already tracking nearly everybody. So why shouldn't we make sure that EVERYBODY is tracked, especially those with more power?
https://www.pcmag.com/news/good-news-for-billionaires-faa-to-let-them-block-tracking-of-their-private [pcmag.com]
They get to track us and we don't get to track them?
If the sheep are going to be tracked, why can't the sheep track the wolves and sheep too?
(Score: 2) by aafcac on Friday October 10, @12:08AM (3 children)
These are government officials that are operating in public. Tracking them should absolutely be legal. It's not even like they're showing their names or identifying themselves. People have a right to know whether they're being kidnapped by criminals or ICE agents, but at this point, I'm not sure the two deserve to be in different categories. Little to none of what ICE is doing now is legal.
(Score: 2) by aafcac on Friday October 10, @12:47AM (2 children)
It's generally illegal despite what some folks are saying, there probably are exceptions, but it's nonsense to suggest that illegal immigrants don't typically break laws. It looks to me like it's a fine if you're caught in the process of crossing improperly, but we're not really talking about that here.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1325 [cornell.edu]
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Friday October 10, @06:28PM (1 child)
but it's nonsense to suggest that illegal immigrants don't typically break laws
The statistics say you're ignorant or lying. Don't you have a Google? [house.gov] That is the first result of asking "immigrant crime vs citizen crime usa". The statistics, not some lie that Trump pulled out of his ass, say that immigrants commit far fewer crimes than American citizens.
Why do you take a proven pathological liar at his word? How many African princes are sending you fortunes?
Mad at your neighbors? Join ICE, $50,000 signing bonus and a LICENSE TO MURDER!
(Score: 1) by Runaway1956 on Friday October 10, @07:07PM
The Sacklers used false statistics to enable their drug pushing network to trigger the opioid crisis. "Less than 1% of opioid prescriptions result in an addiction", or words to that effect. That testimony in front of congress persuaded congress critters to allow the Sackler's drugs to be pushed by 20% of the doctors in this nation.
But, false statistics. The fact that someone PAID human traffickers to get them across a border is a strong indication that they don't care about no laws. It's silly to claim otherwise.
ICE is having a Pretti Good season.