The Damus app, committed to decentralization and in competition with Twitter, will be excluded from the App Store due to compliance issues related to bitcoin tips. The developers dispute this decision, but Apple maintains its position citing a violation of the guidelines on in-app purchases.
Damus, banned from the App Store
Apple has long had a strained relationship with cryptocurrency-related businesses. The global tech giant has often shown some reluctance towards crypto projects. Although it allowed the inclusion of Nostr, an open source protocol, on the App Store, the restrictions imposed by Apple seem to be becoming more and more restrictive.
Damus is an innovative application developed on the open source protocol of decentralized social networks Nostr. It offers an alternative to Twitter by promoting greater freedom of expression and respecting the privacy of users.
Among the flagship features of Damus is the ability to tip bitcoin on posts that users like, providing a direct and transparent reward for content creators.
However, this feature caught Apple’s attention during the App Store review process. Apple considered bitcoin tips as in-app purchases for digital content, which must go through Apple’s in-app purchase system. As a result, Damus was given 14 days to remove this feature.
Faced with this situation, the developers of Damus tried to clarify the rules surrounding the tipping system. They pointed out that tipping bitcoin does not unlock any in-app content in any way. Despite this clarification, Apple maintains its position that Damus violates Directive 3.1.1 – commercial payments.
Apple against cryptos: Damus, victim of App Store censorship!
Over the past few years, the App Store’s review guidelines have come under harsh criticism, especially when it comes to crypto-related apps.
Apple seeks to exercise maximum control over transactions made on its platform, in accordance with applicable law, and considers that tipping BTC defeats this purpose. Therefore, Apple strictly interpreted guideline 3.1.1 to reject the Damus app.
It is obvious that tips do not in any way unlock content. However, it seems that the real concern lies in controlling transactions, including bitcoin tips.
The removal of Damus from the App Store is scheduled for June 27. The final outcome of this case remains uncertain. However, it illustrates the challenges faced by decentralized applications and cryptocurrencies on centralized platforms.
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