Apple's App Store Pulls The Shades Down On Porn

Most people use their iPhones for rather pedestrian purposes such as communicating with friends, browsing the Internet, and listening to music. However, the intersection of human nature and technology has always resulted in the proliferation of another powerful tendency: viewing porn.

And, unsurprisingly, a significant number of iPhone owners use the device for just that purpose – putting Apple, and its brand, in the unenviable position of having to make judgment calls on what is acceptable, and what is unacceptable, regarding iPhone apps. So, Apple announced that it would purge all “adult” iPhone applications from its App Store, sending many users in a nuddy rage.

Strong brands are consistent with their messaging, and Steve Jobs was clear about his intentions for the App Store back when it debuted in 2008. He cited “porn, privacy-breaching tools, bandwidth-hogging apps, and anything illegal” as criteria for restricting apps. In addition, Apple also listed “unforeseen” applications as being potentially unacceptable, paving the way for future bans on third-party applications.

While a few “adult” applications are still available – like Sports Illustrated 2010, Playboy, Adult Sex Life, and a handful of others – Apple has obviously decided to close the door on the plethora of pre-existing nude applications, effectively forfeiting any monetary gains from such a lucrative outlet. But Apple knows it needs to draw the line somewhere, and it has.

Sure, when it comes to making judgments on nudity and sex, there will always be important debates on the relationship between freedom of speech and moral depravity – and technology is becoming an increasingly important component in those discussions. For now, however, Apple is fine with selling music with sexually explicit lyrics, but putting those songs into video form – that’s just, well, unacceptable.