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Apple joins Confederate flag boycott, removes apps that use flag in offensive or mean-spirited ways [U: Statement]

after

[Update: Apple has confirmed the policy with us. Statement below.]

[Update #2: Reports are now surfacing that Apple is now reinstating some apps with the Confederate flag to the App Store. The company is working with developers who use the Confederate flag, but not in a mean-spirited manner.]

[Update #3: TouchArcade specifies that affected games are able to change their app icons and App Store screenshots to avoid removal.]

A couple of days after Zac Hall called for Apple to join large retailers like Walmart, Target, Sears, Amazon and eBay in withdrawing from selling items featuring the Confederate flag, Apple appears to be working on doing just that.

Touch Arcade noticed that many Civil War games like Ultimate General: Gettysburg and the Hunted Cow series have all disappeared. An App Store search for ‘Confederate’ on Tuesday found plenty of games featuring the flag, while the same search today appears to show only apps dealing with the history (such as the reference work shown) above. All of the games shown in Tuesday’s search (below) have been removed from the App Store … 

Apple’s app purge doesn’t appear completely comprehensive as yet – we did find a paid alternative to one of the free games removed – but that is likely an oversight rather than a deliberate exception.

Here’s the before, while the after is shown above:

before

The South Carolina massacre that prompted Confederate flag boycotts is likely to be prosecuted as a federal hate crime, law enforcement officials told the NY Times. CNN reports that South Carolina yesterday voted 103-10 in favor of a debate on removing the Confederate flag from Capitol grounds. Apple has made no official comment on the removal of these games as of yet.

[Update: This is Apple’s statement: “We have removed apps from the App Store that use the Confederate flag in offensive or mean-spirited ways, which is in violation of our guidelines. We are not removing apps that display the Confederate flag for educational or historical uses.”]

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Comments

  1. They used a chainsaw when a scalpel was required. Short-sighted and misguided.

    • When you are prominent, as Apple is prominent, or the President of the United States is prominent, it makes the messages you send more prominent, and your slightest move can influence the tone of things. This prominence means that you have greater responsibility. There are people who have written comments here to the effect that they would not be lead into a racist attitude by the existence of a confederate flag and whilst that may be true, Apple and other prominent entities don’t have the liberty to act with just you in mind. They have to act with regard to the total population and particularly with regard to those who are weaker.

      • Apple are prominent, but should they be judge, jury and executioner of what they deem acceptable? Some would say they already do that, but what they will do is risk alienating a substantial amount of people by treating people like children. If they ban the Confederate Flag because of it’s connotations from 150 years ago because it affects the delicate sensibilities of people now, they should also ban the British Flag – after all here in Britain we rode roughshod over most of the world for 350 years. Then they should ban the Japanese flag because of the atrocities of World War Two & the Chinese Flag because of it’s terrible human rights records. I’m sure the wronged in Vietnam, native Red Indians, civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Mogadishu, Korea and even some British would LOVE to see the US flag banned – after all you kicked our ass. Admittedly we stopped fighting 232 years ago, but it still hurts you know?

        This whole story wouldn’t even be a story if Dylann Roof was just a racist nut with a Confederate Flag. But he wasn’t. He was a racist nut with a Confederate Flag and a GUN. And while it’s true that guns don’t kill people on their own, give a nut a gun and they are going to find it a lot easier to kill people with it than with a Confederate flag. Yet oddly, I don’t see many shooting games being removed from the Apple store.

        Funny that.

    • What’s next, banning Civil War history books from the iBooks store? I STILL have YET to see anyone blame the actual shooter. But it’s the flag’s fault, it’s the guns fault, and even according to some democrat legislators, it’s Fox News’ fault. If you can believe that.

  2. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    Start pulling books from libraries too, that’ll show ’em!

    Seriously I have no tolerance whatsoever for this kinda of media-driven frenzy bullshit.

    • rogifan - 9 years ago

      it saddens me but it doesn’t surprise me. Not under Tim Cook’s PC Apple.

    • samuelsnay - 9 years ago

      Literally on of the most ignorant comments I’ve ever read anywhere, which is saying a lot.

      • samuelsnay - 9 years ago

        One*

      • How is the comment ignorant? Do tell us what your take on the situation is.

      • PMZanetti - 9 years ago

        ^ This is what our world has come to. People don’t even know how to use the English language. They call it “ignorant” to not be foaming at mouth like the talking heads on the television, telling you what to think and how to think it.

    • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

      Complete moron. Displaying a nazi flag not in an educational manner = a completely idiotic human. Same with the confederate flag. If you want to be seen as a complete moron, by all means, go for it.

      • You are using the word moron too many times Jim. You not got another dictionary to use?

  3. haxxo - 9 years ago

    Here’s the punch line: why does apple care?

    • PMZanetti - 9 years ago

      Because this is the new Apple that gives zero fucks about freedom, and bends over backwards for agenda-driven media. The mass media is vulgar whore that shoud be locked away from humanity forever.

  4. rogifan - 9 years ago

    This is getting ridiculous now. Unless these apps were specifically promoting racism they shouldn’t be pulled. And if they were promoting racism then that begs the question why were they ever allowed in the App Store to begin with?

  5. Use Reed - 9 years ago

    ban any and every recorded account of war in the history of mankind…and we can become a utopian-like society?

  6. bonaccij (@bonaccij) - 9 years ago

    Not quite sure why they are doing this. It seems that these are Civil War Re-enactment games… you can’t change history. It’s not like these games are saying “Burn the American Flag and put up the Confederate Flag”. Not quite sure why they would do this. Besides, this is just the image of the confederate flag.

  7. chrisl84 - 9 years ago

    Well done 9to5 you are champions of free speech and tolerance of those with different views than your own.

    • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

      Free speech doesn’t mean you walk down the street screaming profanities, as it makes you look crazy and of low IQ, just as displaying the confederate flag in a non-educational manner does.

      • Ron Cardi (@ROYG_B) - 9 years ago

        This is all just fake outrage. I’m not witnessing any “erasing history”. In fact I’m seeing the exact opposite. No one is asking for the flag to be burnt in South Carolina, but instead put it in a museum where it belongs. I applaud Apple for considering its consumer base an not upholding these ignorant and misguided conceptions of “freedom”. If the confederate flag is not used in a historical and educational manner, then it really has no place in today’s America.

        I hate to say it but I think the deeper issue here is that the removal of the confederate flag is just another case of blacks “winning”…. and white bigots HATE that, otherwise I don’t see why keeping the flag for educational and historical purposes has been so polarizing and a source for so much anger. And when you look at Apple, a company that traditionally was geared towards the more wealthy white populations, this removal of apps potentially offensive to blacks is proof that more than before, black opinion matters. I remember how pissed some 9to5mac readers where when Apple partnered with Drake and Pharrell for Apple Music because “this is not the Apple I use to know”. Yes, this ‘new’ Apple values inclusivity more than ever before, which I think has been a major component in their success.

        This sentiment that America and Apple belongs to whites….. and other things called blacks, hispanics, and asians must accept things as they are, needs to end. Thankfully, there are more intelligent people in the US.

  8. Dave Ray (@drskillet) - 9 years ago

    Would you be complaining if it was a swastica?

    • rogifan - 9 years ago

      Yes, if it was in the context of history. Tim Cook can’t banish history no matter how much he might like to.

      • ericisking - 9 years ago

        They’re not banning it in the context of history – read it again.

    • PMZanetti - 9 years ago

      Mature people can handle history.

      • Possibly the best ever retort ever on here. +1,000,000

      • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

        Wow you guys are bumbling morons. If it’s in an educational, historical material/museum, that’s absolutely fine. To display it in any other way is fine with me also, it helps me identify the people that have a low IQ.

      • ericisking - 9 years ago

        So all those good old boys waving confederate flags are just history buffs? Wow, who knew?

      • o0smoothies0o – I’ve noticed recently your obsessed with mentioning how intelligent and right you are, and how everyone else are dipshits for having a different opinion to you. You also can’t be reasoned with either.

        You my friend, are exhibiting the classic signs of being a sociopath, which often leads to psychopathic tendencies. Please do us all a favour and visit the shrink before you turn into another Patrick Bateman.

        Much appreciated.

    • Mike Knopp (@mknopp) - 9 years ago

      I would hope that people would complain.

      Let’s turn this back. Would you support every WWII game being pulled because a Swastika was displayed on German units?

      This isn’t some hate-filled app promoting racism being banned, it is a game depicting historic events.

      Everyone said in an earlier post that it was a slippery slope and I can’t count how many people screamed them down that they were exaggerating when they claimed that history books and historical apps would be pulled. And yet, here we are.

      Know how to boil a frog? Turn the heat up slowly.

      Know how to destroy freedom? Take away the rights of “Them”. You know who they are. The dregs of society. The ones that do things you don’t like.

      I am not going to compare this to Nazi’s, because, it isn’t. But Martin Niemoller’s quote is pretty apt at this moment:

      “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
      Because I was not a Socialist.

      Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
      Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

      Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
      Because I was not a Jew.

      Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

      Is the Confederate flag a symbol of an abhorrent subculture? Yeah! Didn’t necessarily start out that way, but it is now. Do I agree with these people? Hell no. Do I wish they would all wake up and catch a clue? Absolutely. Do, I wish that their rights to display such an abhorrent symbol be restricted? No. Because, that is the slope.

      They came for the redneck, racist bastards for displaying a flag, and I did not speak out–
      Because I was not a redneck, racist bastard and I didn’t like what they stood for.

      The question is who is next? Because history has shown time and time and time again, that once that slide starts it doesn’t stop. They will come for someone next. They always do.

  9. tzm41 - 9 years ago

    Very well done, Apple. Welcome to the brave new world, where what we read and see are all censored by mass media opinions and political correctness.

    • sardonick - 9 years ago

      I’m really believing that’s the whole point. We’re going to switch places with Europe of 40 years ago soon enough.

    • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

      So prone shouldn’t be censored? Why aren’t you crying about how porn isn’t allowed on iTunes and the App Store? If you’re going to cry about censorship, start with the first things censored (I.e. Pornography since the beginning of the App Store).

  10. viciouscur - 9 years ago

    Sometimes Apple has to pick the lesser of the evils. It’s probably now reviewing these titles, and I bet most will return. But imagine the outcry if Dylann Roof or an imitator was found to be inspired by these games.

  11. stickyicky97 - 9 years ago

    These idiots think by removing symbols and references that hate and history will go away. It amazes me how offended people get by something that happened 150 years ago, but have no problem with games that depict murder, rape, and other violence. Our country is lost. And before the idiots reply I’m racist, pipe down. I am for removing the flag from public buildings, but it should be manufacturers’ and consumer rights to buy/sell and display whatever they want. Funny how these companies will ban the Confederate flag while continuing to sell other racists and offensive stuff like Nazi, Black Panthers, and South African apartheid flags and apparel. Hypocrites.

  12. chrisl84 - 9 years ago

    Can we ban the British Flag from the US App Store too…we did kick yalls tails too but with the way history is being erased lately maybe Yall did beat us who knows.

  13. friarnurgle - 9 years ago

    Apple has a right to approve or not approve (remove) whatever App they want. This is a slippery slope though as it could be viewed as bias due to plenty of other apps that could be considered “hateful”. There are tons of Nazi, terrorist, etc in the app store. Heck there are tons of redneck apps. What about GTA? That is one heck of a racist, game.

    • stickyicky97 - 9 years ago

      exactly, GTA has depictions of rape, murder, and violence. This rouse of selective censorship is b.s.

  14. bwulfe - 9 years ago

    Based upon the “sound reasoning” that Apple has employed to sensor apps in the app store; I guess it would be appropriate for them to pull all of the Dixie Chicks music from the iTunes store.

  15. John Smith - 9 years ago

    Sad.

    Oppression and restriction of freedom of expression only fuels extremism.

    Apple made a mistake by joining in with this C21 bigotry.

  16. Mark Boyer - 9 years ago

    I will never by Apple anything! I Have Dell computer anyway.

  17. It’s sad to hear. This is a symbol of Tim Cook’s Apple. I miss Steve Jobs’ leadership more than ever.

  18. sardonick - 9 years ago

    Closer and closer to flying the sickle and hammer i see. Good job apologists.

  19. hodar0 - 9 years ago

    So, if I understand correctly; there are currently 4 Grand Theft Auto games in the Apple Store – where I can steal cars, beat up prostitutes, rob people and celebrate the “thug life”. Apparently, in Apple’s world view – these are “Good”. This game actively promotes a world-view of taking whatever you want, by any means you desire. No symbolism here.

    But, a Confederate flag, which was the historical flag of the South during the American Civil war, and started due to taxation (read a history book) and later expanded to include slavery; that flag is now evil. The flag is a symbol – it represents something different to different people. Now some political people want to censor history, by determining for me, what I can and cannot see, buy or own.

    Forgive me if I say #$% you, I will decide for myself.

  20. Pleasantly surprised to see the outrage at Apple’s misguided move. As someone else pointed out, they are a private business and can do as they see fit, but this move is a sad commentary on the state of a populace that has become enslaved to thought control and political correctness.

    • chrisl84 - 9 years ago

      The are a business and can do what they want, yet Apple had know problem demonizing cake companies who chose not to make homosexual cakes.

  21. Josh Abig (@gopherfan2) - 9 years ago

    Further proof that Liberals have become the Fascists they claimed to despise. They want to ban thoughts, ban books, ban movies, ban websites, ban apps, ban museums, ban monuments, ban what I can or can’t eat, ban opposing viewpoints, ban religion, ban what I drive, ban words…….the list goes on and on. This isn’t about removing “racist” dialogue or “racist” flags or even “racist” or “sexist” or “homophobic” or whatever “trigger words” or “Divisive” speech may be used. This is about control. Liberals and Progressives talk about “Free Speech”, but then tell me what words and thoughts I am required to use. This stuff drives me nuts.

  22. MarinK (@c0ppo) - 9 years ago

    Ban Bible as well. Germans are christians, they used Bible during the WWII. Also plz ban Kuran, since terrorists are muslims. Next stop is to ban German, Japan and Italian flags, foods (bye bye pizza), and culture all in one.

    But hey, why stop there? Communists have done crimes as well. Ban anything related to communists, even iPhone since it is produced in China. After that ban even the USA flag since a lot of crimes have been committed under the USA flag.

    Heck, ban even soccer games, since Germans are world champions at the moment!

    /sarcasm

    I’m not from the USA. I’m from Europe. And in my tiny little country same things are done by media. Things like media are doing in USA atm. And Apple is apparently dancing as they sing. I’m really pissed at Apple now.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m not racist, quite opposite. But this is simply plain retarded.

  23. suchkunt - 9 years ago

    Really disappointed. I would have hoped that Apple would have been unaffected by the reactionary insanity. Freedom of speech includes speech you don’t like.

  24. rtd5943 - 9 years ago

    While I support their intentions, as an advocate of free speech I cannot support their actions. If you want to ban speech that you don’t agree with you are part of the problem. We have to veametly support the right to offend as no one has the right to not be offended. Some people are offended by tight pants, interacial marriage, or women in authoritative positions. Should those things be banned? No. The Koran and Bible are highly offensive to me. Should they be banned? No, of course not. Those ideologies have the right to claim what they want and we are free to criticize those claims as well. All ideas are free to be expressed and conversely criticized. People have died for that right we have. It’s quite the slippery slope but one thing is quite clear. We have to support the right to offend in all mediums and that especially includes speech you don’t agree with. I thought a progressive company like Apple would get this. I was mistaken.

  25. Why does everyone keep making remarks about erasing history? The history stuff is still there. I keep seeing people make free speech arguments. First of all, that amendment is about government not being able to regulate your speech. It has nothing to do with what a business chooses to sell and not sell. Second, I saw a lot of these same commenters fired up not long ago that a Christian bakery didn’t want to sell a cake for a gay wedding and many of you didn’t think they should have to, but apparently you do think Apple should have to sell something they find distasteful? That contradiction makes it seem like free speech isn’t the real reason you’re upset about this.

    I’ve played several grand theft auto games and will agree that they are distasteful and glorify crime (I don’t remember anything racist in the ones I played, but I haven’t played them all). And yet, those games are fictional. They’re not based on a shameful and factual history that continues to affect some of our citizens. In WW2 games, even Wolfenstein, the point is to kill the Nazis, not help them win. And even if that weren’t true, that would only be a relevant argument if the German government was flying a Nazi flag on their government buildings.

    And please spare us the “Steve wouldn’t have done this” argument. Steve picked Tim; he did not pick you.

  26. mrmatalino - 9 years ago

    Zac Hall is wrong for calling on apple to do this. And it saddens me 9to5mac promotes this. Keep it up with the knee jerk reactions America. Land of the free indeed.

    • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

      Hahaha ‘land of the free indeed’ and absolutely outraged by Apple’s use of their freedom to censor things. I hate stupid people…probably why I hate nearly everyone.

  27. So stupid and misguided. Cooler heads need to prevail here, this flag has been around for a long time and I’m sure these app developers are not racist lol…but now they have to suffer? Next will be book burning? The beauty of the 1st Amendment is even if something isn’t popular people can still say it (and they might look like idiots for saying it, but it’s their right to be idiots), not to ban everything that might offend a few people. Sissies disrespecting the Republic and the vision of the Founders.

    • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

      You have NO IDEA WHAT THE FOUNDERS WANTED. This is the ignorance of people. The founding fathers actually had some highly intelligent people, too bad so many clueless people of low intelligence reference them like they know what they’re talking about. Just throwing this out there, how would you feel if everyone that ever saw you belittled you publicly? It’s their free speech, and their right. Hypothetically, what if there were a flag with your face on it and moron written across your face, and your entire town flew that flag? You can’t complain can you? It’s their right.

      • This is perhaps the dumbest thing I’ve read all week. Congrats on the irony you fail to see and hypocrisy you reek of. You may or may not have heard of a little thing called, uhm, history? And guess what, some of it is actually recorded that people living today can actually read believe it or not! And reading the Constitution gives one a pretty good idea of what the Founders wanted, never mind all the American history books that chronicle the founding of the nation and all that. Again, wow, just wow.

  28. Seth-tigi Johnson - 9 years ago

    I will not buy another apple product

  29. Larry Brumback - 9 years ago

    So, when will Apple remove all songs from iTunes containing the N-word?

  30. Nick McFalls - 9 years ago

    apple is doing this to save face and make money just like every other business that wants to make money way to go america let the media dictate how things are done

  31. nana (@purplemaize) - 9 years ago

    It is a shame my family served this country since WWI and Apple has to screw it up.

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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