Apple removes ICEBlock and similar tracking apps from the App Store | TechCrunch
Key Takeaways
- Apple removed the ICEBlock app and similar tools from its App Store.
- The removal followed pressure and contact from the Trump administration and law enforcement officials, citing 'safety risks'.
- ICEBlock allowed users to anonymously report the locations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
- The U.S. government argues these apps endanger federal workers by revealing their locations.
- ICEBlock developers claim the app does not collect or store user data.
Apple has taken down the ICEBlock app and other similar applications from its App Store, a move reportedly spurred by pressure from the Trump administration citing 'safety risks.' ICEBlock had gained popularity by allowing users to lawfully share the location and descriptions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents within a five-mile radius. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Justice Department officials contacted Apple to have the apps removed under her direction. The developers of ICEBlock assert that the application does not collect or store any user data, a claim supported by independent analysis. This takedown occurs amid heightened tensions over the administration's immigration policies, especially following a recent fatal shooting at an ICE detention center where the gunman reportedly searched for apps tracking ICE agents. U.S. officials have repeatedly threatened legal action against users and developers of these tracking applications, viewing them as a danger to federal workers.
