Developers say that Apple has rejected their coronavirus app submissions
Google removed all coronavirus related apps from the Play Store to prevent the spread of misinformation
Thanks to Apple’s rules, the App Store is not inundated with apps giving misleading information about the outbreak. Just a couple of days ago Amazon removed over one million products from its online store that made bogus claims about their ability to protect or cure people from the coronavirus. Facebook has banned ads from its platforms that spread misleading claims about sure-fire cures for the disease. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that he was “focused on making sure everyone can access credible and accurate information.” Search for the coronavirus on Google search and you’ll see links to the CDC and WHO. Google also has banned ads that promote bogus anti-coronavirus products.
The App Association is an industry group that represents developers. The group’s president, Morgan Reed, said, “Right now the technology industry is working very hard to ensure the platforms are not being used to provide people with false or, even worse, dangerous information about the coronavirus. We are seeing significant pressure inside and outside to halt applications and advertisements before they harm citizens.”
Part of the issue, at least in the U.S., is that the Trump administration and trusted health organizations are at odds over certain aspects of the outbreak. President Trump himself has told Americans that the disease is a “hoax.” He also said that it will dissipate next month when the weather warms up; yesterday, Trump told Americans that it was safe to go to work even for those who have been diagnosed with the disease. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has refuted each of these comments.
The Google Play coronavirus website includes lists to helpful apps like the CDC and the American Red Cross
A search for coronavirus apps in the App Store returned an official app from the government written in Portuguese. Another app called Relief Central contains data from the WHO, CDC, and Johns Hopkins. Among the results is a video game called Bio Inc. Nemesis that allows you to “assemble a team of doctors and inflict lethal diseases on hapless patients.” Interestingly, a search for coronavirus apps in the Google Play Store showed that there were no results. Google says that this was done on purpose to prevent the spread of misinformation.