Apple bans most (but not all) sexy apps

I understand the reasoning for Apple to want to stay away from such apps but the bottom line is parental guidance. If your child has an iPhone or iTouch they have access to pretty much anything the internet has to offer anway. So to get too upset over an app that has very mild sexual content is ridiculous. I have seen some of those apps and I think that it was only a matter of time before they went that direction. I have also seen Apple take away alot of apps that actually at one time or another showed nudity. Sooner or later it all falls back on turning a profit. These upset parents are/were the same people that complained about cable tv nudity and violent rap music. Its ultimately up to the parents to control what their kids have access to. NOT APPLE!

I don't understand why everyone has to be so concerned with what everyone else is doing. Just ignore it. They are applications for a PERSONAL device. Seek to improve yourself... not someone else.

Please Apple man, tell me how to think and breathe and sleep too.

Toke long enough?

I don't believe that this material is only objectionable to a "relatively few" people. There are children who use the app store and this material is inappropriate for them. Many of these apps are just soft porn that objectifies women. I find that offensive and I am far from alone. If you want porn, go elsewhere.

Way to go Apple – parents of teenagers around the world applaud this decision.

Apple usually is right on the mark but they totally messed up on this.

I agree with Apple and glad they are taking a stand for our children. And Wesley your attitude is just why we need others with a conscience.

good for you Apple. The degradation of women is so pervasive most comments are defending it.

I understand about the comment about the kids have access to the internet but the internet is not endorsed by Apple. All of those apps are officially endorsed by Apple. So i can understand them wanting to try and keep their image clean.

I totally agreed with Apple! Also, I wish that people would ban violating video games also! They should be not allowed to sell violating like bloody war, fighting with guns to kids who are 18 years old or younger. Apple is very smart to do that. They also have wonderful Apple laptops and iMac that blocks viruses!

Keep your religion out of my phone!

Appears parents are too busy to monitor their kids own activities so Apple must take care of it for them – perhaps they should also contact their local cable company and internet provider so they don't have to raise their own children or monitor what they are doing.....just reflects the status of our current society where many parents place the responsibility for raising their own children on schools/companies.

Perhaps they should spend more time raising their kids instead of lobbying for the government/schools and companies to do it for them.

Good move apple, be pro kid!

John – thank you for making my point!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Apple the thought police, if it weren't for you I may have decided for myself that wobbly boobs were inappropriate. Thank you for thinking for me, thank you for protecting me. What a crock, this is censorship in the worse sense of the word. Easy fix, have an "adult content" section for all the "of questionable moral value" apps, let people decide for themselves what is appropriate or not. I will stick with my blackberry.

very happy with their decision to remove objectionable material.

This is why we are behind the rest of the world. We are way too sensitive about these things.

For the parents who are concerned, it is inevitable. Kids will find one way or another to access material. Because you treat it as a bad thing, sometimes kids want to do bad things. But, in other countries it is deemed normal and acceptable. Maybe it's because the rest of the world has matured faster and better than we have. Regardless of the reasoning, "norm" is right. Parents need to step up and be more responsible for their children. Stop blaming others while you blame your "busy jobs" or "other responsibilities" for not being able to take care of your kids. This goes for those parents who also complain about today's "role models."

Once again it seems that what it really comes down to is that parents would rather censor the entire community than parent. If you find this kind of content objectionable don't give your impressionable child an IPHONE. There are plenty of personal devices that are not capable of using these kind of apps. If you yourself find content of this nature offensive DON'T DOWNLOAD IT. If you have a child PARENT. If you are an adult CHOSE. Leave the right to chose alone.

Kind of hypocritical when Apple allows Playboy and Sports Illustrated with their content but squashing individual ingenuity and creativeness by not allowing 'homemade' apps to flourish.

Doesn't this violate our first ammendment of freedom of expression? Why should they be filtering what people see. People should be smart enough to not choose these apps if they don't want to see them.

People, this has been going on for thousands of years. Perhaps some of these complaints are genuine and perhaps some are part of a religious right campaign to control smut. The TRUTH is that parents HAVE the power to manage the PARENTAL CONTROLS provide for just this purpose by Apple at the iTunes store. I think Apple is wrong to cave in to complaints from irresponsible parents or anyone else who wants to repress content for the rest of us. Parents need to take responsibility for their children. Women who don't like the content of certain apps need to stop looking at them. Apple and Steve Jobs, you need to get back on track and stop trying to be the apps police for all of us out here—you're headed in the wrong direction.

I support Apple's decision. The apps ultimately reflect back to Apple and it's reputation. If it does not want to promote sexual driven content, and a consumer needs it badly enough, then purchase another smart app type device. Apple will maintain a family, household name known for innovation and rspect rather than exploitation of woman and some of us men, for money.

Great job, Apple!! I agree!! It is objectionable, to more than a few, and it degrades people and our society as a whole!! If you don't like what apple is doing, create your own electronic line!!

Considering the people using these devices (YOUNG IMMATURE CHILDREN 60%) the iPod touch is the main target to these bad content. Girls in bikinis means girls at whatever age they are, are expected to be walking around showing skin. This WILL in the long run create an enviornment which will have severe problems, creating the need for sex high, and more trouble for Apple. If I were the one to make the decision, I would say if you wanted to see sexy, go get it yourself in person. Nobody wants to see a "Sexy" app on a device.. I sure hope you know what people do with those apps.

Ahhhh. I see freedom is still alive and well in America.

This will only drive more Apple friendly users to "modify" their iphones and become customers of third party apps. Eventually, Apple will either relent or Apple will lose a large number of users to the freedom and liberty of the "modified" iphone.

Censorship – that is all this is.

It may be true, (or not depending on your view) that Apple is helping to protect our youth from having access to things of an inappropriate nature. That being said, its not their job to do that. Parents, if you want to get all high and mighty about what businesses are allowing your children to see, keep in mind that YOU are the ones who purchase the products. YOU are the ones who give them to your kids. YOU are the ones who can take these products away. YOU are the ones who need to sit your kids down and explain this material. YOU have the power. If you dont like this stuff, then take a stand against it. But dont "congratulate" Apple for doing your job for you just cause you arn't willing to do it for yourselves.

Seriously? Why don't they just rate the apps like video games and allow the phones to be user-configured to block certain levels? Don't most TV's have that feature?

However, all that being said, it was a good move by Apple because it keeps their image intact... a good move business-wise but if you ask me, it's up to the parents to step up.

So they are worried over titillating applications in their store for a device that can connect to the internet? Parents that are applauding this have no clue at all of what they have given to their precious little snowflakes. You have given your child a portable device capable of loading far worse images than a wobble app. With the capability of doing that loading from anywhere with cel or wifi.

an over-reaction for sure but I was quite surprised to how much smut there was on the "most popular downloads" list, which my 10 year old will easily see.
I would have been content with a rule on the title and icon used and an adults only rating.

I didn't realize that Apple had Nazi members working in management!!!

Sig heil Apple! This kind of thinking belongs with the idiots who were going to expel the kid in NY for bringing a 2 inch toy gun into elementary school.

I understand Apple's reasoning, but I do think that the restrictions are a bit much. I'm sure that the folks either at Apple or AA&T could figure out a way to put restrictions on phone users under the age of 18. Of course, kids would probably find a way to bypass the system, but it would at least be a reasonable start.

censorship at it's best

Wow, I don't like the idea of Apple regulating what we see and don't see. But I understand the need to be "clean". If parents are so adamant about a clean apple store, rate the item. We have movie and game ratings, and parental controls. ITS NOT NEW. Rate the App, G, PG, R, or whatever and then if you aren't old enough bam... your app is blocked from all registered parental controled iphones in that range. Its not a novel idea.

FINALLY! I think it's great. I'm no feminazi, but I am getting sick of seeing boobs everywhere! Let's raise the next generation of men with some basic respect for women. Marketers: find your attention-grab somewhere else!

The app store belongs to Apple and they can sell or not sell anything they want. This is costing them money and costing developers money, but I doubt it will kill their market share.
I do think that removing a web browser so kids can't go to hundreds of free pornographic web sites might cost them all of the market. Thats the nice thing about Apple, free porn almost no risk of infection.
If anybody wants it, its out there, you can get it. SO- except for the developers,
who cares?

David, your comment actually reminds me...

...since we're on this "removing apps" note, I bet the next apps to go are the ones that offend other groups/organizations/affiliations that you usually hear about. Apps will be banned for "offensive content" against a group of people, including religion, race, etc.

Time to grow thick skin, people.

The fact that they are holding out a double standard and leaving Playboy and the SI:Swimsuit is pretty pathetic. Wouldn't want to piss off any other big corporate brands... we might loose a few dollars!

In what future century will people be able to look at human bodies and enjoy them without some finger-wagging scold telling them it's wrong?

What is wrong with you people?

I applaud Apple for taking a stand. Someone has to start doing it and I don't buy the explanation that people can find it everywhere anyways. Then, let them find it somewhere else. But I don't agree that they have preferential treatments to stronger brands. That's just hypocrisy, plain and simple.

I just don't understand why this country is still so uptight about sex, yet violence is exceptable. Sex is good and normal; bring it on. Ban all apps with guns and violence.

It is instructive that most of the comments here, castigating Apple, are by men - clearly not moms whose kids use the App store, not women who don't want to have to CONFRONT this stuff every time they go on to search for something. Go, Apple – Thank you for maintaining one refuge from the cheapening of our media.

I think it's totally refreshing for a corporation to be taking responsibility for it's product. While CEOs have a responsibility to their shareholders, corporations also have a responsibility to society; to be working to improve it, not just make a buck. Keep it up Apple, we appreciate your effort. And if you're wondering: I do not believe morality is subjective.

Freedom of choice has always been antithetical to the business model of Apple despite their marketing to the contrary. "Think Different (so long as its just like us)" should be their motto. I am not at all surprised about how tightly they choose to try to control their platform. Openness is just plain wrong in the apple mind set.

I will not buy, nor will I ever buy an apple product.

I think that apple should open up the iphone and ipod touch (and soon to be ipad) so that 3rd party companies can sell apps (outside of the itunes store) for the phones ...

the things that they are pulling out of the store will just become web based stuff that all the 'kids' they are worried about will just access through the net on the phone instead.

Apple is not the government, they are a privately owned company that offers a service. They hold the right to be the gate keeper when it comes to apps on their products. If you can't get over this, you should probably cancel your iPhone and return your iPod touch.

That will be real interesting too when the customer service rep asks you why you are returning it...

I'm not advocating for or against pornography, but in this case let it be known that I am not on the 'for' list either.

This is a big mistake. Geeks (who love such apps) will transition to phones running on the Google Android OS, which has absolutely no restrictions. I think Apple will come to their senses regarding this sooner or later, and they will stop restriction on adult entertainment oriented apps...It might take a severe loss of market share to make this happen.

per norm 12:28 ET "...the bottom line is parental guidance."

Ahh yes, the consorship argument, variation #238. Apple is a private company, not the government, and they have the final say in what they think ought to be featured on their device. Don't like the decision? Don't buy the device then.

Perhaps Apple is declining to participate in the ongoing debasement of the culture in the misguided claim of personal freedom. Support of freedom of speech is fine in the abstract in that it's intended to disallow coercion in political opinion, yet this is often abused by imbeciles who think it's their "right" to wear Tee-shirts laced with profanity or other crudities at public events with children. The answer at public events isn't the "parental guidance" cop-out supported by the young and childless (as if it were possible!), and it's not the answer here.

Apple is announcing support of reasonable taste. My, how awful. What will we ever do without poor taste, lewdness, and so on? Oh, the humanity.

Funny thing is even without a app they can still download adult material to the Iphone/Ipod Touch. Beside they will find away around the app store like always.

This is a bad idea. They could have more than easily implemented parental control software that could filter out objectionable material on the iphone. People should have a choice. Apple shouldn't be the one deciding what is appropriate for me.

Any parents who let their children have a IPHONE without knowing what it is capable of needs to have their own heads checked out, and shame on them for not knowing.

As an 18 year old female, I applaud this decision. Not everybody wants to see this material, and I shouldn't have to enable parental controls just so I don't see it every time I log into the app store. 99% of those apps were degrading to women everywhere – as if television doesn't do this enough, really. They should be deleted.

Bottom line is, if you want porn you know where to find it. Stop complaining and get on with your lives.

Come to think of it, I'm getting sick of seeing them everywhere too, Leigh. Let's ban curvy clothing in our offices, nightclubs, and everywhere in public too. Oops – thought police are coming for me now...

I was in the grocery store the other day and some guy was having a huge fit because the store didn't cover up Cosmo and some other women's magazines that happened to show some attractive women in slinky dresses–cleavage and all. He was shouting that he didn't want his children seeing that smut. Do we really think an attractive woman in a low cut dress is smut? I think not. Do we really want a few nutcases dictating what is available over the internet or anywhere else because of their warped sense of what is decent? I think not.
Let's let reason prevail here. Certainly Apple could avoid making abusive or pornographic material available on their app store without forcing developers to not show what anyone can see at the local beach or swimming pool any day of the week. And, parents can take steps to closely monitor what's on their kids phones (I did when mine were underage). Overall, I don't want a few Islamic or Christian fundamentalist trying to dictate what is normative for a free society.

I've been considering switching to Apple, but this policy has made me change my mind. In addition to being a "finger in the dike" approach, I consider it inappropriate for them to decide what I think is inappropriate.

Not sure why this is such a hot topic. If it was the government that was trying to control this, I could see the issue, but it's a company that feels that it should not succumb to smut and junky crap on their apps store. I feel this is a good idea to keep their brand "clean."

I think this is hilarious. I have no interest in seeing this crap, but it would be far more helpful to set parent controls and have ratings on the products that the parents can configure filters for than to shoot the developers who have been supporting their profit margin in the bikini they banned.

I like wiggly boobs, so I vote to keep them as well as all of the other apps Apple is going to boob (I mean boot!).

Thank You

Richard Miller

The parental controls are there to help control what there kids can look at. Apple should have improved the controls not banned applications that someone had to buy so that it could be used. It is NOT apples job to set boundaries for someone else’s kids. You get a bill for everything you buy, you have to have a card number to buy anything that should have anything close to adult content. Apple should just tell the parents to be a PARENT. Kids will find adult content if they really want to. It makes no sense to tell adults what they can watch because someone else cant figure out how to there job as a parent.

I like the Burqa idea. That seems to be the direction we are heading these days in order to keep "everyone" happy.

I'm a PC, and I trust my own brains.

"not sure how Playboy is still in"

It's called *money*. Cha-ching.

Parents need to learn how to be parents and stop whining about reasonable things; the apps were obviously popular enough to warrant attention, but if I remember correctly, doesn't the store have a parental control on it? I have an idea!

Everyone stops complaining about what others do and DEAL WITH IT THEMSELVES. I've seen my freedom get taken away because of children doing things they shouldn't even be DOING in the first place. How about all of you get off of your high horses and learn how to actually parent your damn kids? Or would you rather the government control everything? Apparently not that either, since we certainly don't want no socialist government. I swear, this country is falling apart and all of you are just ready to sit by and watch it, while complaining that logical and normal things don't "work for you" so they should be taken away from everyone.

They are upset because we live in a condition where anything sexual is wrong..wrong to look at naked women wrong to talk about sex, wrong, wrong, wrong..that IS the problem..to many of these freekish people say that sex is wrong.

Do I think it's extreme? Yes, but Apple is free to regulate their store any way that they see fit.

Consumers on the other hand are free to find an alternate service with content they want and developers can choose to abandon building Apps for Apple products in favor of other platforms.

I'm sure Apple has done the research to support the loss in revenue from dumping these type of apps. That percentage is probably extremely small compared to what could happen if one of the apps were to generate negative press.

I am glad that Apple is having their hands tied due to their own controlling ways of doing business. Since they limit poeple to only obtain apps for their products from their store, they also need to ensure those items available at their store are in line with their corporate image.

Yet another attempt of apple trying to control every aspect of our multimedia lives!

What they should do is create an adult section in their app store because we all know that you cannot stop adult content from getting to those who want it.
Wouldn't Apple rather make some money from it or maybe they are just more interested in trying to control us.

Next they are going to make an app so you can turn in your parents when they speak negatively about Apple so that Steve Jobs can send people over to break their kneecaps.

Congrats to Apple! It's about time someone stands up and says, where are we going... and what are we teaching our children and each other what's acceptable... YES EACH OTHER! If you want to feed your sin in a backroom of run down dirty adult bookstore (or online) that's your choice. However we as a society shouldn't have to live with it in our face... My occupation is in technology and I'll never buy another cert for a customer from GoDaddy again! I'll go somewhere else!

While you're at it, Apple, please remove all of the crude apps involving FARTING! Thank you.

I think apple was not meant for all the perverts. Cleanse your thoughts and you will see the beauty of apple. Why are you so offended if Apple is pro kids? If you have a BB stick with it, but don't criticize apple. Sooner or later, lots of these very perverted thoughts will continue to drown our children in agnorance while children all over the world are becoming smarter. And your children will end up working for them because you did not protect them, did not guide them,did not spend time with them... wake up and smell the coffee.

Why not just add an adult section to the store? easy.

Thank you Apple!

Lovely we get to pay 400 dollars for that piece of junk and now we are told by nanny Apple what we can't and can do with our own purchases?

enough of the first admendment already!! that is getting old REAL fast.

Apple's got it wrong here this time. This is kin to China blocking websites to it's people. There are parental controls on the Apps, so this makes no sense...also Playboy app stays?

Wow, they can ban the apps, but all the person has to do is.. wait for it... click safari?? OMGS NO BIKINIS ON APP STORE GUYS!!!!!!!111!!! too bad theres about 21391238910301 naked girls on the internet and all your little bundle of joy has to do is hit safari instead of app store. grats

Go moto droid/nexus one, basically like iphone except is run by people who want internet freedom as opposed to a bunch of fascist ignorant douches who cash in on peoples cult-like devotion to their shitty products.

I Love it! Finally a company puts morals first. Go Apple!!!

I think that this is savvy marketing. In order to protect the Apple brand, they need to do what they can to discourage crap apps. Sleazy apps are for lesser brands.

Typical of Apple to allow parents to, again, get further away from doing good parenting. This is so typical of "Blame the app and not the parent" for not having the "conversation" and using the controls in place to limit what their child can see. Parents are always looking for a scapegoat to so they can continue to be their kids "friend" instead of their parent. Though I appreciate Apple for cleaning this up, parents need to be more responsible for the content their children can see online PERIOD. You can block the Apple app, but the kid can still go to inappropriate websites on the same device that the parent needs to be mindful of.

Simple. If you do not like it, then don't use Apple products. Your choice.

these apps are no worse than going to a beach or a swimming pool in the summer, but some how they are to suggestive for children. I Guess that these parents lock there children in there rooms and scold them for having "dirty" thoughts. The human body is a wonderful thing to look at. people should be proud of how they look and telling kids that this is dirty cause them to think otherwise.

"Doesn't this violate our first ammendment of freedom of expression?" Actually ... no ... this doesn't violate the First Amendment because it is not the government censoring the content. That said ... I am probably as far to the right on the political spectrum as you'll find and I personally find this kind of corporate governance ridiculous at most and hypocritical at least. You can't tell me that you are 'pro-child' and out to protect the children of this country by banning sexual apps and then turn around and allow Playboy and the SI Swimsuit issue. The argument that they are 'established' brands is a load of crap. If you ban on app you have to ban them all otherwise you’re just a bunch of hypocrites!

Anybody remember the Apple Super Bowl commercial of a few years ago. You know the one about the totalitarian state, 1984 I believe. Who would have thought then that Apple, the "David" to Microsoft's "Goliath", would be doing what it and others accused Microsoft of doing, controlling the market and dictating what customers could do with technology, ironic isn't it. It goes to show all of us, be skeptical when business professed to be fighting for the rights of others, businesses are about profit, the same self righteous accusers will commit the same "sins" if it suits their pocketbook.

This isn't about Steve Jobs being a moral straight arrow, it's about the potential these apps negatively affecting sales of ipods, iphones and the new ipad. Don't be naive people, it all about the money.

As a consumer, I hated it when Microsoft tried to control this aspect of my life and continues to do it and I hate it also when Apple does it. As soon as there is an equivalent choice to my Iphone (in function and content), I am going to switch. It will be nice to get back to Verizon which does have a much better 3G network too.

Apple is completely off their rocker with this one. It's one thing if they want to make a policy about which developers they want to allow, but you can't lay down a set of arbitrary rules and not use them across the board. Especially in the example above: don't ban the goofy app for possibly bringing sexual attention to personal photos but allow the outright porn app.

Also, it's really easy to set your iPhone to not allow the app or itunes store without a password. So, as a parent, if you immediately take a look at your kid's new phone so you have an idea what it can do, you can block out this content in a few seconds anyway. In the meantime, don't filter me: I'm capable of deciding what's good enough for me and my iPhone.

Really are they serious? I can't look at a nice fine set of boobs as i'm about to make a phone call? We're not 4. If you have children and you don't want them looking at these things. DO NOT GET THEM AN IPHONE! TAKE THEIR COMPUTER AWAY! OH AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE A TV ANYMORE! NOT TO MENTION NO VACATIONS TO THE BEACH!

Really America wake up. Is it really that serious?

I'm no prude, but I agee.

Yesterday I was on Amazon, and saw that they have many sexual things, and fairly rude things, such as belt buckles with crude sayings on them.

The dumbing down of America needs to stop, and the exposure of our children to crass, rude and sexual things needs to stop. For companies to choose to reduce sexy, crude, rude or whatever else they choose to do, is 100% fine by me.

You complain about an app that shows a woman in a bikini, but you have no problem with apple installing safari, or a person's ability to donwload the Google app, both of which, with the touch of a button, can allow you to search the internet for images (and video) that are a lot more inappropriate for children and teenagers than any of these apps have ever shown? This is nothing more than a knee jerk reaction from idiotic parents who desperately want to convince themselves they are doing the right thing for their children. I'm sure Apple is laughing (at them) all the way to the bank.

Guns, murder and mayhem OK...but heaven forbid anyone sees a breast. The religious right at its finest insanity.

Why do young children have iPhones? They don't need anything more than a basic cell phone until they are 18 or have a job.

–

Apparently in America today parents don't need to be parents anymore. They just need to sit back and relax and let the government, large companies, and TV do all of the parenting for them. If a company is doing something you don't like to your kids, like showing too much skin, complain to the company to remove it. No need to talk about it with your child anymore, that's the big corporation's job.

–

It is real amazing to me that parents complain about too much skin or sex on TV or other media yet they have no problems with their kids watching someone's head being blown off on a TV show or movie. It should be the other way around. This is why we are the most violent country in the world. We need more sex (not porn) on TV and less violence. Just like in Europe.

Helping parents not parent. Way to go apple. I wonder if they will have to ban the internet completely so that kids won't be tempted to look at anything that might be construed as sexual on that? Clearly parents need to step up here to stop the business instead of stepping into their children's lives and regulating what they can and can't see themselves.

I've said it before... Pixelated breasts are the downfall of western civilization... Come on people this is silly. Why are we so uptight?
It is Apple's store and they can do as they please, that is NOT the point here. It is a relatively small minority telling us what is right and wrong. But as many people have said: If it offends you... Don't look at it. And, if you don't want your kids seeing it for god's sake tell them you don't want them looking at that stuff. It is not Apple's job... it is YOURS.
Again just by talking about this proves that pixelated breasts are indeed evil, and must not be shown to anyone...

So, does that mean Apple will start to purge its iTunes store of all objectionable songs before long? I would be I can find far songs that are available that are far more offensive than women in ice skating tights...

So they'll ban bikini apps on a phone that allows anyone to access hardcore pornography via the internet? Give me a break.

Was gonna pick up a few apple products this week, but now thanks to apple, I will be taking my business elsewhere. I don't need apple to decide a damn thing for me or wether it is appropriate for me to download. I can use my own judgement thank you very much.
Screw the damn parents who can't parent their kids. Maybe apple should market a parental control app for these buffoons.

Yet again I shake my virtual head... we have fountains of blood, limbs blown/chopped/bitten off, deadly explosions all a-ok.. but a bit of skin is taboo? Immature culture still...

Sounds like Apple has become Americas parents. Please all we need to do is be the parents to our children. Parents police your kids phones. They go to a bad site or application.....................................(steady now) .........................................punish them! Hold then accountable for their actions. Explain to them what is right and what is wrong. Simple as that. If a criminal shots someone with a gun we don't go after the gunmaker. The gunmaker had no more control over the use of the gun as Apple has control over a PERSONAL device!

"Why are you so offended if Apple is pro kids?" They are NOT pro-kid Mak. That's the point. IF they were really pro kid you wouldn't still be able to see Playboy of the SI Swimsuit issue ... which by the way features NUDE models in airbrushed 'bathing suits'

Puritanical, and yet hypocritical.

How can Apple seriously defend keeping Playboy in the App Store, whie imposing restrictions or outright bans on some of these other apps?

-Mom of 2 teens who has an iPhone but does not have/use any of these particular apps.

I am a parent of 2 young children and as a parent I am get to make a call on what they may see and hear. However, for someone to tell me what to see and, in this case, not see on my iPhone is an unacceptable infringement on my personal choice and freedom. Thanks Apple and all of you out there who get to tell me what to do with my time, money, and technology. If you are offended, just do not download it and/or tell Apple to create a password protected app area!

Who put Apple in charge of approving the content on my phone?

Yay Apple! Another stupid company telling me what I can and can't see. God forbid a parent be responsible for monitoring what they are doing online. Does anyone think that just because a kid can't get a dirty app on their iPod Touch that they can't use Safari to go to porn sites? F*** apple and their holyier than though attitude. They should ask Steve Jobs about his illigimate child. That is okay but I better not see a naked person in an app or my head will explode.

Other publishers (Random House, Penguin, etc) choose what they publish, major retailers choose what brands they stock, why shouldn't Apple choose what they put in their App Store? Are the free speech nuts complaining that Target and Walmart don't stock porn videos in their DVD sections? Apple isn't banning this stuff from the planet, just their store. It was a wise business move.

Not true- I just went to the app store and saw "sex positions" and "adult sex trick". I pick apps with my son, but we have to scroll past this stuff and therein lies the problem. I don't care if it's available, I'd just appreciate a way to buy apps without scrolling past the smutty ones.

i don't believe in this articles last line: "objectionable to a relative few"

i believe the apps are objectionable to MORE than a relative few, HOWEVER

I think it's silly for Apple to ban some and not others.

it would be reasonable for users (adults or parents) who object to those type of apps to use the parental controls so they do not have to be exposed to content they feel is objectional.

To those who blame parents for not monitoring their children. I don't think you realize how bad the problem had become in the app store – every other app was of a sexual nature. Every time I searched for something I came across apps of a sexual nature. These apps were in multiple categories, and while you can block purchase of questionable material you can't block access to seeing it.

Apple can appease everyone here by making a category for this material and offering a way to block it from the iPhone/Pod settings.

By the way, you can block youtube and safari from the settings menu, So those that think parents are just handing over a device to a child unrestricted are totally in the wrong and should retract your ignorant comments.

"Should material that is so widely accepted be banned because it is objectionable to a relative few?"
Show me your data that back up the statements that this is widely accepted and objectionable to a relative few.

The real tragedy here is that people in American continue to believe that anything having to do with sex is considered bad. Teenagers should not view "sexy" material because it will somehow harm them. We still have this prudish behavior where certain people get offended by material they have the choice of whether to view or not on their own volition. Dumb America.

OK, I am sick of sensorship in this country. Everything has been distilled down to the point where we only will see fluffy bunnies on every screen just so we can ensure we don't offend anyone. Parents need to take responsibility if they think they don't want their kids downloading apps and not place the burden of their laziness on everyone else.

Simple answer is this...forget Apple, go Android
Open Source and no itunes. Phones are better, and better carriers are available. Put down the apple cider and see the future

this isnt about our teenagers or kids.

When you as a parent buy them their phone you should be able to activate a protection if you REALLY WANT

but seriously, unless your kid is like 10 years old, there should be nothing wrong with looking at porn if they want.

by the time your kids are 15 they will have probably seen 1000x times more porn then you have at your age before computers were around.

and thats just a fact.

This is a joke, what is wrong with people today. It is not up to you to tell me what I can an can't look at. Parents need to stop complaining about bad video games, tv shows, movies, and now apps. Try actually teaching your children right and wrong and not taking away everything you think is wrong. This is why kids rebel and turn into thugs. There is no parenting anymore in the country.

Another step further for fascist Apple. Control, control, control. It's not like we can't find hardcore porn on iPhones or anything.

Women who find this degrading are probly fat ugly women who know they will never look like this. So there vengence is to be pissed off by it and say it's degrading. When I see a near naked muscular man hald naked I don't find it degrading. Who cares. Find something better to do with your time than be pissed off because your a freaking prude!!!

I applaud apple for this position. if only for the protection of women and minors who should not have to navigate through smut....the adult erotica crowd will just have to look for sexy material somewhere else...like try the internet...pornography and related material is becoming an epidemic in america and the world. and you may argue that apple doesn't have the right to enforce it's wholesome values on everyone...does it have the right to allow minors access to this content? sort of like smoking.
gotta ban smoking in restaurants to protect perhaps the minority of non smokers...but in the big picture of things...better off for everyone.

Remember all those promises about how technology would give you more freedom? Welcome to the reality. No bikinis.. meanwhile slaughtering people wholesale in video game apps is totally okay.

Apple has produced some good products, recently, which has brought it back from the brink. Now, it's going down the same arrogant path that nearly drove it out of existence. Absence of a few apps is not going to make even the slightest dent in what children view over internet - they have virtually an infinite number of ways to view sexual content on the web. Nor will adolescent teenagers suddenly get rid of their hormones and their hormone-driven curiosity about all things sex. Apple would do well to get rid of its arrogance, instead. There may be no recovery from another near-death experience, after all.

thank g-d apple finally decided to protect our children from women in bikinis. that's practically porn. i'll rest easier knowing they no longer have access to that smut.

what's that you say? the iphone has internet access? they have porn on the internet? no #$*&ing way. now what the %^&# am i supposed to do? be an actual parent and spend time with my kids? that would require too much work. maybe apple has an app for that.

Thanks Apple...you made up my mind for me on whether or not to purchase an iPhone...and it is an absolute NO!

I am sick and tired of companies, government, and whoever else thinking censorship is OK, to protect the "innocent little children". Parents – do your damn job and stop expecting society do it for you. And children are not as innocent nor naive as some of you seem to think...do you even remember your childhood? I remember mine. And I know full well I had sexual thoughts, enjoyed looking at women and was curious about that aspect of life at a young age. Its freaking natural!

Let me help you with your quote there john...

"Way to go Apple – parents of teenagers around the world applaud this decision."...should read...

Way to go Apple – parents of teenagers around the world applaud this decision to make it so I have to parent less and not pay attention to what my kid is doing".......kudos I guess?

My child has a touch and we control what apps are put onto this. Not her. If she wants something we will look it over first and then decide if she can have it. Also since her touch is linked to our iTunes account she can't download anything without the password that she doesn't have. See a reasonable solution to all you whiners out there. Step up and take control of your children, don't let them control you!

Boy, the parents of the kids purchasing objectionable apps are soooo COOL!!! Opening up an unlimited line of credit so that their prattling brats can download, Download, DOWNLOAD and then object because Clueless Parent paid a $300 bills without batting an eye is really teaching parental responsibility.

On a serious note, anything that is considered objectionable (SI Swimsuit, PlayDoh, etc) can just skip the free download and go straight into a purchase/subscription service. But, Apple, don't get into a mindset of pleasing all the people all the time – it just leads to bureaucratic nightmare and ticked-off developers.

LOL, have to laugh at these so called parents on here applauding this move for the "sake" of their children, yet they are probably the same ones that dont monitor their kids or they let them play on-line gaming where they shoot and stab the enemy with bayonets and knives. Smart ones.

I think that what Apple did was correct . While anyone can go on the internet , that is not Apple's standing . Apple applications are their responsibility . Also if women are not comfortable (many of whom use it) Apple is correct in looking after customers .

will someone PLEASE think of the chillenz!??1one!1

except for play boy. that is Okay.

" Apple isn't banning this stuff from the planet, just their store." But they aren't REALLY banning it Maryland Mom. You can still go into the Apple app store and download Playboy and the SI Swimsuit issue that features nude models in airburshed bikinis. HOW exactly is that protecting your precious little angle sent from heaven?

When my friends visit me from Europe and South America they say,"We are more free in our country than you are in the Land Of The Free.
Last year we had over 40,000 new laws pasted by our corrupt money driven government. That 40,000 is 20,000 less than than the normal 60,000 new laws passed each year.
Now we have companies "passing laws for us ( well , they run the government anyway,right?) Yes Big Brother is here,has been here for a long time...problem is Big Brother also has a lot of "Little Brothers".Apple I remember your TV add against Microsoft.You know,the Orwell venue".Seems like the kettle calling the pot black.Let parents control the content for their children, and adults make their own choices.

I have a macbook pro because the UNIX foundation and usability make it a much better environment than windows. That being said I will never but an ipod touch, or iphone because of the frankly horrible app store policies and lack of transparency.
I have a Google nexus one and love it, it's faster than my colleagues 3gs. I can flash my own software onto it, install apps on it from wherever I choose. Heres the kicker, you can't even write an app for your OWN iphone without paying apple $100. Disgusting.

My children have iPods, I do not. I wouldn't have an objection to the questionable materials being available in the app store (free country) as long as there is a way to keep the content off of my children's iPods. If there are workable parental controls, I really think that is the issue.

This is the Itunes store for Afghanistan, right? You can't be talking about the US store!!

I think "to each his own". If you want to see that material then fine and if you dont, that fine too but the developers of these apps are going to have a field day with Apple. Leave SI swimsuit and Playboy but take away the others that are the same type of app? So your saying, if I have enough money and my names big enough, you'll let me sell my app on iTunes? WOW Get the lawyers ready for this one!!!

i see why apple did it, i disagree with it, however. America is overly concerned with what their kids have access to and what they don't...overparenting is a major problem in this country. This is an overextension of overparenting by a company to appease parents...how about parent's become more responsible with their kids and do their damn jobs

apple= big brother

Okay ladies.. I have had just about enough of you making the rest of US look bad. Saying that you find it offensive if people use these apps is beyond stupid. Men are going to think naughty things about you. That's just how it is. You can't control minds.
It
will
never
happen
So stop whining and making a big deal out of it. It bothers you–only because YOU ALLOW IT TO BOTHER YOU. You get attention for acting out like that, being the sore-thumb/wet blanket on everyone's parade. Even if its negative attention.. you are still getting it ... making you AS BAD if not WORSE in my eyes.
I am ashamed of you.
Thanks for bringing the rest of us down a notch.

As for the ones complaining about our kids seeing this garbage.

WATCH YOUR EFFING KIDS. I have a child. He will not have access to these naughty things... why?... oh well beacuse MOM WILL BE CHECKING HIS PERSONAL DEVICES WHENEVER SHE PLEASES TO MAKE SURE IT DOESNT HAPPEN.
Oh but wait.. little johnny has a right to his privacy too...
then stop complaining.
Do your job. Be a parent and yeah–hate to break it to you–your kids are not going to want to be your best friend. But they also wont be watching porno on their cell phones.
Open-and-shut.

John said: "Yet again I shake my virtual head... we have fountains of blood, limbs blown/chopped/bitten off, deadly explosions all a-ok.. but a bit of skin is taboo?"

Exactly.

Instead of censoring, just offer separate sections for G-rated versus PG or R-rated applications. And I'd rather have my kids exposed to skin than to violence.

Let me quote you real quick for reference Wayne,..."I agree with Apple and glad they are taking a stand for our children. And Wesley your attitude is just why we need others with a conscience."

Hey Wayne, let me help you out as well...I dont need your lack of parenting skills, or your conscience, to censor the world for the rest of us.

Pay attention to what your kid is doing and be more of a parent. If you want someone else to raise him/her for you then by all means, give them to someone who wants to parent.

If you dont want your kid to have access to these programs or the internet (since they can download whatever they want from the internet) then dont buy them the stupid phone. Either take responsibility for yourself and leave me alone or just shut up.

If you really need to look at porn on your iDevice, just load your pics into iPhoto and pornvids into iTunes and sync them up. All Apple is saying is that they're not going to be smut purveyors. That's their call.

That said, I see some hypocrisy as far as the Playboy app is concerned. – j

I think that censorship could lead to the demise of the iPhone's profitability in the face of viable competition. Not only a tacky move, but poor business decision.

I have more respect for Apple now.

what does a child need an I-phone for anyway?? I personally would not have an I-phone,just wondering, how much do these APPS cost anyway? its always the bottom line.................cha-ching.the consumer pays thru the nose.

These apps will just reappear in Cydia or one of the other jailbreak repositories. At least there, the developers can sell their apps without giving a cut to Apple or worrying about whether it meets Apple's standards and practicies.

It has an off switch, doesn't it? People who don't want to see that stuff should just turn the silly thing off. Parents who don't want their kids to see that stuff should a) enable the controls or b) not buy their kids an iPod. Or a computer. Or a TV. Or a magazine. Or a newspaper. Or a bus pass. Instead, they should buy their kids bloody video games and take them to R-rated action or horror movies.

Seriously, this is seems to be a new form of censorship, happening because people don't want to exercise common sense. I say again, if you don't like it don't buy it, or if you have it, turn it off!!

I think Apple did good in removing the material. There is plenty of sexual content all around us, no need to enable more, so it is refreshing to see a large company such as Apple make a conscious effort to stay clean as a whole. Their actions reflect their values. Where are YOUR morals?

This is another example of how Apple wants to control what you do or don"t with their products. I bet they woudn't sell Macs to porn studios because it would be inmoral to put naked people having sex being edited on their machines... If you don"t like it, just don"t buy it! But I don"t want anyone to tell me what I canput on my phone...

Good for apple. Turning a blind eye seems to be the motto these days for everything based on individual's precious rights. What about the company's? In the same vein, I would agree with apple both ways..if they choose to leave the smut or removed it. It's their company and they can choose the content they want to put on it. You are the end user and so you can choose whether to buy it or not. Personally I really don't need a wobble app for boobs...or xray eyes...lets filter through the crap and see some real useful apps. Ever try reading through a forum that's been spammed by someone stupid advertising sex?...pretty annoying isn't it when you want to actually find useful posts. And lets not even bring your kids into this conversation...who really cares if the parents don't. Lets have some progress and get more useful apps for people like me!

"you may argue that apple doesn't have the right to enforce it's wholesome values on everyone" Soooo Scott .... banning Wobble but keeping Playboy is a wholesome move????? Please explain.

Wow, kids are walking around with weapons and people are worried about apps that show skin. There is no nudity. They see more skin walking around the mall then they see on these apps. People need to focus more on raising their kids then they do these apps.

I have had enough!! No one is allowed to censor what I can view and what I can not view. Today it's sexually suggestive apps, tomorrow it will be "sensitive" news and then god knows what else!!

Screw you Apple!

Thank-you you apple.

This may not be a popular stance but it is a good one.

Don't surrender to the slease factor.

Agreed that a 10 year old should not have an iPhone. However the iTouch is a great device for kids.
It seems some people want an "adult" internet and if I don't want my children to see the adult stuff I should simply ban them completely.
So my kids should grow up unaware of computers and the internet?
That doesn't work for me.
I understand I am responsible for my kids and will teach them and trust them. They will end up seeing porn at some point regardless. The important thing is that they understand they went "looking" for it and broke my rules. I can't impose that if vendors like Apple are promoting it.
Good move today Apple.

Lots of people talking about this being a violation of rights and freedom of expression. How about Apple's right to conduct their business as they see fit? Take your own advice. If you don't like what Apple has done, buy a different device. By the way, I'm a parent, my children don't have devices on which they can obtain objectionable content, and they only have access to computers and televisions in public areas of the house with parental controls on them.

Good Decision. Is time someone does something resonable, as the parents and goverment are doing a horrible job.

It is after all, a personal device. I don't understand the problem. If it offends you, move on. I see things in the general public all the time that I don't care for but I don't get huffy about it.

Furthermore, what is a kid or even pre-teen/teen doing with an iPhone?
(I can see an iTouch, but a phone, Seriously?)

I think parents should raise kids themselves. It is not Apple's responsibility. What about the internet? Kids can get into MUCH more on the internet than an app store. Furthermore, if you have to have a credit card to access iTunes (I did), why can't that serve as age verification and give apps based on that/preferences? The technology DOES exist for that.

It always seem like the ones who complain the loudest are the ones with something to hide. I'm sure most of the complaints came from the religious right wing groups. You know, adulterers, meth users, closet homosexuals and pedophiles.

Very nice! Kudos to Apple. All the ranters, go away to porn sites.. its not worth turning your iPhone/iPods into a sex entertainment device.. Bring sanity to the world! Thanks a lot Apple.. Thank you..

User of MBP, iMac, iPod nano, iPod touch, 2 iPhones 3GS

Can you say censorship?? iPhone just came off of my list because I don't want to be told what I can and can't put on my phone. If I want to look at jiggly b00bs on my phone, that is my right. I have a 5 year-old daughter and I can guarantee you that she will NOT put inappropriate apps on her phone because she will have been brought up in an atmosphere of education and common sense. If you don't want the app, don't buy it. If your kid has an iPhone, make them let you look at the apps so you know whether you need to take the phone/iPod away!!!!! Don't let Apple be your child's monitor.

And this is why I won't be buying an iPad/iTouch/etc. Personally I would use the device for work so I shouldn't be installing "sexy" software. That being said, It is lame to remove these apps when there are ways to block the content from minors... Heck, if you want, Block them from yourself also. The world at large is PG-13 at best, if these "sexy" apps offend you it might be time to move up into the mountains and away from civilization.

Hmmm, lets compare this to a brick and mortar store. At Walmart, Walmart decides what they will sell, and makes products and packaging conform to their standards. At Apple, Apple decides what they will sell. Suck it up and get your porn fix another way people!

For the sake of our children we must stop access to all dangerous ideas such as sex, drugs and rock n roll. I have been to dances at schools where children are allowed to dance way to close together. It is shameful. I don't even allow members of my family to go to public beaches or swimming pools. Have you seen what people are wearing these days? Oh the decay. and now a colored person is our president? Where will it all end? Herbert Hoover where are you?!?!?

Is for a personal device in which you have no say. So why is the overly sensitive mindset limiting what the general populous can use on their own private devices. It's your say with your kids, not with me. Being offended is one thing, believing you have a place to dictate what is available and what isn't because of that is completely different.

If parents have a concern with the content of Apple store applications, then perhaps they should voice a "Hey Apple, install parental content controls and sortable categories for inappropriately rated applications so I, as a parent, can monitor and restrict what my child has access to." opinion instead of forcing a knee-jerk "remove everything that doesn't appeal to my absolute perfect moral high ground!"

Egotistical moral snobs and censorship should never be mixed.

Hey look! More companies and coporations telling us what we can or cant do with things we paid money for! How about parent's actually pay attention to their kids instead of using Nintendos and Cell Phones as babysiters.

Apple seems to forget that what made the ipod so popular is that they did not try to control what you put on the device (ie mp3 from anyone or anywhere) while everyone else was trying to make everthing propiertory (Greed). Now all of a sudden they are trying to control what I want to put on my electronic device I own, Can you say JAILBROKEN.

Once again money wins! I know there are millions of women out there who despise Playboy and the SI swimsuit edition. Why are their boobs ok to show? Either be consistent and ban all skin/boob apps or none! I'm tired of society being responsible for everyone's children. And, why does a 10 year old have an iPhone?

I love how mostly everyone today has become so desensitized to what is right and wrong. Soft porn and even porn has become the norm in our society today, if we find something wrong with it, we're ridiculed. It is everywhere now so why do you people have to complain about not having it in a phone? Can't we keep it out of at least one thing in this world? If we can limit its exposure to kids and even teens, why not try. And people wonder why there are younger kids having sex these days. Good job Apple.

Did they ban safari too, I have seen a lot of sexual content on that app. Sex a bad thing, not so much, censoring for bible thumpers, definitely.

Why not create a section in the app store just for those who wish to see it? Stop regulating everyone else's mores and worry about your own.

The idiocy of the world never ceases to amaze me, and here is today's example.

So, let me get this straight... women were complaining to APPLE that their men were seeing suggestive pictures and such?
Uhm... maybe I am just too full of common sense, but should that anger be directed at the MEN who was looking at that stuff?
And the same goes for kids.... shouldn't the parents be responsible?

I understand Apple is just trying to keep its image clean, but these types of Apps are LEGAL, and even more so, many people want them.

So... deny it to those who want them, because women and parents dont know where to point the finger??

tsk, tsk

Its decisions like this that arre destroying this country and its ever growing "walk on eggshells" culture.

"Oohh... wouldn't want to offend somebody"

Give me a break

I'm guessing most of the people who comment about how much power parents have over their kids and what they do with their phones (or anything else), don't actually have kids. Or maybe their own kids just aren't smart enough to know how to override parental controls available on these and similar devices, like mine were. My kids are grown-ups now, so the crap we had to deal with several years ago is not like what's available to kids today. But it was a constant battle, with the kids almost always winning because of their amazing technological abilities. Beyond that, I simply applaud Apple for some movement towards decency. Even if it's financially motivated.

They are aware they have a web browser in their phone that readily displays much worse?

This is just posturing for PR sake at the expense of a few people who were actually making some money.

lame.
makes me want to discontinue my support for the company, and more of a sympathizer for those who mod the phone.
wouldn't be surprised to see my family photos of my recent beach trip deleted from my phone remotely.

How funny it is that so many refer to the taking away of an objectionable, therefore requiring more thought than I am reading here, application as being in the place of "raising" others children. When you have PARENTS, i.e. human adults with great responsibility, and people in general who care about what affects/takes place around/and has any contact possibilities with their children and society in general, in the continued downward spiral that exists as "free choice," those who care and have true concerns are simply and only confined to being "religion"–not free-thinking, making better choices kind of people who want better for society–i.e. people who CARE. (watch some star trek if you still have not clue...)

How funny how many are getting mad about the possibility of nude and jiggling women being taken away...now THERE is something to think about. Grow up and see that thinking for the greater is in fact just that, than the few who want to cry unknowing what it is to raise a civilized society. Gee, taking away scantily clad women is really something to get upset about? You should have no more say on what goes on in society than anyone else AND LESS when there are much larger ramifications to society in general in ways you obviously cannot and don't want to see. If this kind of thing never existed you'd have something else to complain about, but you wouldn't be complaining about this. If you never knew this application existed because it didn't you'd never think to complain about something like this.

Think outside your own selfishness, you really have no clue. When you overload society with things that are everywhere the lines blur and appropriate lines fade and people don't know where to draw the line, but the line exists nonetheless. There was a time when something like these apps would NEVER have been considered for OBVIOUS REASONS. Get over yourselves with the selfish=thinking only of yourselves as you fall closer to losing yourselves, kind of mentality. Really, how much time and life is this taking away from you by this situation? And if it is a lot, you might want to consider thinking why.
Such visceral responses. It is scary to think that so many DON'T HAVE A CLUE how this "everything-you-need-to-know-is-in-your-hand-at-a-moments-glance" is HURTING the boundaries of what you/society should expect, and CREATING a world known only as "I-want-what-I-want-when-I-want-it-and-want-it-now-and-if-I-don't-get-it-I'll-make-a-big-deal" mentality.

There is so much more to think on than this immediate gratification thing that seems held so overly dear. I DARE those of you up in arms about the taking away of a picture of a girl in a bikini that can no longer jiggle to think about this. You matter more than you are treating yourselves. And if no one thought it was a good thing and you were alone, you'd probably come to terms with the idea of never being so open about the idea and would leave it alone, living in a more civilized world.

Another reason not to waste your time and money on all this!

Wow...so I guess there are still people in our country who have standards!! How beautiful is that!! I guess all of you who would prefer the smutt and all that can go find it somewhere else just as so many of you said the kids want it they will find it...you make your choices and Apple will make theirs...standards are what keep a country ahead, not the lack there of...

Kids can't be monitored 24/7. They would feel like prisoners if they were. We were all kids once, we went behind our parents backs and did things we shouldn't. I agree with Apple's restrictions on the apps mainly because it was too easy for the kids to go on and "preview" the material witout having to actually buy it, The parental controls prevent them from being able to purchase these apps, but you could view pretty racy pictures just by "shopping" in the app store. Now if Apple could make an "adult" section for the adults and make it kid-proof, I would agree with that decision as well. It just can't be so easily available for ages that shouldn't be viewing it.

If you bought your child an iPhone then shame on you not Apple.

The App Store is the only place Apple can censor content for it's iPhone. Thankfully, it isn't the only place one can get quality Apps.

The app store is a public location that should be able to be viewed by all. I have seen many apps that were inappropriate for children and I am glad Apple finally has decided to remove them. They should remain out of the public viewing arena. There should be a separate location for these to be viewed and purchased. Those who are offended by these sites should not have to block anything for our children. It is those who wish to see and purchase these explicit apps should have to turn on an "adult control" to allow those apps to be seen.
Thanks Apple for taking these apps off the App Store.

I am a female and understand that when I go into the app store, I can choose what types of app to search for. I want a finance app, I don't search for "nude ladies". If you're that sensitive, what do you do when you get a pop-up for viagra in your computer?!?!

Glad I dont own one of these.

To all the people that say it's degradation of women.. they were not forced to pose for magazines or anything, they did it on their own. Wake up.

#1 Give me a break you holy rollers, your anti-sex attitude is starting to get very irritating.
#2 I always said Apple is a cult and this proves it
#3 And since when do children need an iPhone or any of the other media stuff? How about some serious stuff, like homework, etc.

I think this is a terrible move by Apple. People who are worried about what their children can view on an Iphone shouldn't be giving their children Iphones! There is parental conrols on the App Store, USE THEM!

What is next? Will Apple decide that an app by a competitor , or third party developer threatens sales and needs to be "banned"?

I am tired of extremists telling me what is right for me, or my children. I am perfectly capable of making my own decisons, lets leave it that way Apple.

Apple is such a joke.

As a developer of iPhone applications (non sexy apps) I can see both sides of this debate. However I really believe that the solution is quite simple to implement and would appease everyone. Just like in the real world, Apple should simply extend the iTunes App Store with an adult section that is accessible by "adults" and able to be masked from accounts designated by parents from their children for example. I believe that it is illusory on Apple's part to believe that this App category should not be part of the iTunes marketplace. Opinion aside, this is simply too large a category to keep a lid on and conversely too large of a market to ignore. Apple, being the company that they are will find a happy median.

Oh, no.

This is truly a crisis in the making. A private company regulating content on its own products? Who ever heard of such an un-American thing?

And, bigger yet, what will we do with all these nerds who won't be able to use their IPhones to get sexually aroused?

Why are children using iPhones in the first place?

Thank you feminists for removing games containing attractive women. Just because your not attractive doesnt mean that the rest of us cant look at attractive women in the app store. Yes i do agree there is content in the app store that is not appropriate for children but there are parental controls and the parents get a reciept by email (because kids cant get credit cards) so parents please take responsibility for what your kids are doing.

Thank you Apple. It is no different than Blockbuster not renting X rated movies. They are a business and can allow or not what they want. It is their choice to have whatever policy they want just as restaurants had their policies about smoking or not allowed in their businesses before laws were passed. Anyone in business has the right to sell or not what they want.

If you are concerned about what your kids might be seeing, you are failing in your responsibility to adequately supervise your children. Wow.... Apple used to be a cutting edge company; now they seem more like puritanical ninnies. Better get rid of that "Apple" logo.... it suggests "sin". Sigh.

Another example of we Americans needing to be lead by the nose.
I'm a parent. It's a butt load of work, but that's what I signed up for. It is my duty to make sure my kid stays away from boobs and improperly shaped hot dogs.

No wonder the rest of the world views us as spoiled little brats. We keep demanding that all of the work be done for us. Probably so we don't miss American Idol while actually parenting.

Women are probably about half of Apple's users, and I would say just about all of them are offended by gratuitous, degrading sexual content and objectification that demeans the value of females. Perhaps they don't want to support with their money and business a company that would host sleezy apps that demean their gender.I am really happy Apple is doing this. Go Apple!

It is their product and it is their right to govern what applications they allow. This does not affect freedom of speech at all, as Apple is a private corporation which can restrict its products and enforce its policies as it sees fit. To anyone who needs porn to function, they have the freedom to find it elsewhere in the comfort of their homes. (Also, if you need to carry porn on your person, you may have some sort of larger addiction/problem on your hands.)

An Iphone *is* a personal device, but as anyone who rides public transportation would know, people are often in close quarters in public for extended period of times using their cell phones where all can see or hear, including kids, whether they like it or not. This *is* a reasonable decision and many females/ parents will appreciate this, even if you think the criteria may be a little conservative.

So apps like iHandgun and iSniper are perfectly acceptable. Why can't sexy apps have the same warning as violent apps? I believe a sniper rifle is far more damaging than a bikini – maybe that's just me. What about golf games? Could they lead to sexual deviancy? Maybe only if you are really, really good at it. Give Tiger an AK47 and let him redeem himself!

Porn, soft core and otherwise, isn't going anywhere; I think we can all accept that, male or female. But there are plenty of places where you can get your fix for half-naked sluts without the Apple app store insulting it's female customer base.

There's a difference between a specialty adult company producing and endorsing that sort of material and Apple allowing it to be offered in their app store. It creates a disconnect with paying customers who don't like to think the company they are supporting is encouraging people to download applications with flopping cartoon boobs and mostly naked women stretched out as eye candy. Especially with the generally family-friendly image Apple likes to keep for itself. There's a time and a place; the Apple app store is not it. I'm glad this move was taken.

Wow...the fact that PlayBoy is still on the App Store shows that Apple is completely fake. PlayBoy probably paid them off to keep their app on there.

Oh...and I love seeing all the women saying it's degrading...makes me LOL ;P

simple solution just jailbreak your iphone. go to blackra1n.com, they'll do it for you for free in about 5 minutes, and you can download all the apps you want without Apple's restrictions while still having access to apple's app store.

Why can't parents just be responsible for what their kids view... This is an infringement on consumer choice, and ultimately futile. Kids will work past these restrictions anyway....

It is a sad state we are in. America has become an extremist country. Oh no, skin... what is so wrong with the human body? If you are affraid of all the applications, then move to China where the govenment controls everything for you.

No more internet, opinions on the government, religion or what you are allowed to do.

America is going in the wrong direction, government and some companies are too concerned about protecting us.

Maybe that's why we are such a soft country? We are percieved as a country that cant think for itself. Sad, sad day...

Android – we.will.not.con-troll.you.

I wish they made this decision a month ago before I laid down a ton of money for phones for myself and my kids. I do not support corporate censorship of the internet. If you and your children are too sensitive for what might be found, then do not access the material. There are so many other resonable alternatives available than this most restrictive and puritanical route choosen by Apple. I am very disappointed.

This just confirms that the prudes in this country are still making decisions for everybody else and are still using the save the children excuse to get their way.

This could be solved by Apple in any number of ways;

1) Consider an area of the APPStore "authenticated" to age
2) Provide an Parental APP control that the APPStore recognizes to limit access to age appropriate apps.

By hitting this issue on the head with a single sledge hammer approach, they limit the addressable market (developers and customers) that can exist for the device.

It is hypocritical, and I would also suggest litigatable to allow certain objectional material, but not others, based on some decision based on privelege or exception to their standing policy of unilateral enforcement.

Apple's interests should be kept to limiting their legal exposure and maximizing the potential for developers on their platform, and the clients who use them. They've oversteeped their legal and moral obligations to the many stakeholders and customers of their products and services.

Choice over dictation. Personal responsibility over mass elimination. Assist the marketplace in self determination instead of appeasement to those who want their perspective to rule out choice of another.

If you don't want to see bathing suits, don't go to the beach!

I could care less if apple removes sexual content, its not like you cant get it some where else if you wanted to. I am a parent and if your a parent you CANNOT be lazy and IGNORANT about technology your kids use like the computer, psp, I-pod touch, anything that connects to the internet that the kids use. Parents have to take the lead and be responsible and not depend on companies to raise thier kids with values. Thats a parents job. I understand the right to have access to what ever but its not like any of us will die if we dont have access to it. who cares. I would only care if they banned information that really matters in a persons day to day life. If you are a parent and you are ignorant on technology or you are too busy to check up on your kids and set up their device with parental restrictions then you have no business buying your child a device that connects to the internet and then have the audacity to complain about it. Be responsible Parents.

Censorship at it's best. I thought America was about freedom of speech and expression? What's next, Book burning???

Thank you Apple. Apple is a private company and can do as they like. If you don't like it, get another phone. My impression of Apple and my willingness to support them with future purchases just went up a notch.

Of the 100 or so comments it seems that only G.L. Alston hits the nail. February 23rd, 2010 1:02 pm ET.

It is a BUSINESS DECISION, not an issue of CENSORSHIP. If I own a brick and mortar software store, am I somehow obligated to offer porn software or even soft porn. What if I just don't want too because I believe it is bad for business? Is it censorship when the local convenience store chooses not to sell Playboy or is it a business decision? What makes Apple obligated to offer any product that they don't want to be associated with? If the people that actually own the business, (stockholders) don't like it, they will let Steve know. I hope that no one ever has the power to tell me what I must offer or sell. Do you?

I'm sorry, I don't approve of the items that I buy and pay for being moderated. I am a legal adult, I have the right to decide what type of apps I may use on my phone. I have four little brothers. If they decided 'Oh hey, I want this app..." If it is something that has to be paid for, it goes through our mother. If they are not paying for the service on their phone, it goes through our mother regardless. That's called parenting. Regardless of whether app vendors are pushing provocative applications, if your children watch television at any point in the day, they are going to see something provocative in some way. Be it the sleazy Bratz commercials of yesteryear, the bikini clad animated teenagers on Cartoon Network, beer commercials in the middle of a movie like iRobot on Fx, or the KY commercials on ABC. If you live in any time zone west of EST, the 'primetime' commercials come on much earlier than the reasonable 8-9pm bedtime of most kids.

And I agree with RW. Why are children being given iPhones? If they need a phone, get them a $10 prepaid phone that only has the necessities. If they want music- we do have $15 MP3 players. If they want pictures? Oh hey, there's a cheap $10 digital camera made for children with decent quality sold at Toys R Us. How much are iPhones selling for now? I'm sure it's well above $35.

If you dont like something dont download it, come on. Stop worrying about other s and worry about yourselves.

Trust in the great and holy Steve Jobs. He knows whats best for you.

To Jeffrey who says "They should be not allowed to sell violating games like bloody war, fighting with guns to kids who are 18 years old or younger." Ok, their 18 and can die in this country in pointless bloody wars but they can't play video games that depict it?!?!? People lighten up, police your own children, don't leave it to corporate America and the government to teach Johnny what's right and wrong.

Thank you Smarty06. Well said

Why don't they just ban the internet? Apple doesnt have an app for parenting (yet).

Just impose maturity ratings / security and link it to the itunes store user account.

This is such a tough question. When I was younger and single I would have given a different view but now as a parent I am sooo tired of all the base things thrown in our face all the time. I am not a prude or even religious but things need to be toned down somehow to make the world a more comfortable place for our children.

Okay first of all this is NOT about proper parenting – it's about companies finally showing some values and morals. Maybe other companies will follow suit now. Parenting is just part of the solution – we all need to take responsibility for what we allow profit hungry corporation to do. If you watch it they will make it – I applaud Apple for taking a stand hopefully it will last!

Thank you Apple! It's about time that the objectivity of women and men is removed from the hands of children. Yes, parents need to take some responsibility in their children's lives, but as we all know, this just isn't happening. All too often one child with parents who are not checking in shows another child the inappropriate app and then the school districts are being sued for this and that. So thank you Apple for stopping the objectivity of mostly women and men.

Wow this is absolutely pathetic. They better take away their childs internet too, because I think it takes about a milisecond to see 50000 girls WITHOUT clothes, let alone a BIKINI!!!!!! Do you blindfold your children at the beach? This is another example of pathetic obese mothers and women who are upset about gorgeous women being on display. Get on a treadmill you wortlhess complaining humans, then maybe you'll feel better about yourself. How can you ban something that is perfectly fine to see in PERSON, from the INTERNET. How pathetic are you people. Who the HELL looks at bikini pics on itunes anyways, jesus. This is the dumbest story of all times, and fat women are to blame, GUARANTEED. lmao. This makes me laugh hard.

Thank you Apple. There's no need for such apps.
I don't need the guy in the next cube looking at
breast shots while he's working next to me.
And parents have so much on their plates when
it comes to this kind of stuff.....they can't possibly
screen everything a kids does. It's about time a
company took some responsibility.

How funny that people think they have some kind of constitutional right to sexy apps for their PDAs. It's ridiculous to call this censorship and to invoke the first amendment. Parental responsibility and moral values have nothing to do with it either. Apple is not a public library, not an FCC licensed broadcast entity, not your local newspaper. It's an autonomous corporation... a business. They are 100% entitled to sell exactly what they want to sell in their own store. If you don't like what they sell in their store, start your own. The First Amendment guarantees your right to say and publish what you want. It does not require publishers to print your ideas. Barnes & Noble is not required to carry your book on their shelves.

I assuming that all the parents who have impressionable young children, are also not going to let them go to the swimming pool this summer where they will see, OMG, people in bathing suits! Also, are we to ban women from exercising in tight athletic gear. God forbid my child see some breasts bouncing while a woman is running in the park. Parents need to do their job and educate themselves and their children. There are parental controls for a reason, learn how to use them. But ultimately, no matter how much you shelter them, they are eventually going to have to make their own decisions, and it is up to you to influence what decision they will make.

First – I do not own an Apple i-phone but am aware of the apps...
Second – as an adult, if you don't want a Bikini app, then don't download it
Third – if your kid has an i-phone, then what the h–l is a matter with you? They're kids, they don't need an i-phone. You should know where they are at all times anyway and if you don't take parenting 101 moron.

I think so many of the responses here are totally missing the point. The devices have web browsers; browse for porn at your heart's content; no one is taking away your God-given right to surf for porn!

Apple, on the other hand, does not want to SELL porn. Do you see the difference?

The App Store was becoming a cesspool of ridiculous sudo-porn "apps" that degraded the perceived quality and utility of the devices. Great move Apple. The company will be rewarded for maintaining high standards.

Whereas I understand as an older student that the use of suggestive and sometimes pornographic images are a constant concern on the youth of the world I wonder where does this stop? I believe that sexuality and the display of the human body is an art form and there is in fact a line between what is tasteful and tasteless. However, I do not know of any human being who could say that the human body is not something that can too be used in an art form. I wonder where in fact the line between the display of a woman in a bikini is the same as a woman in the nude with her legs opened in a sexual pose are to be considered one in the same. I believe Apple is making a grave mistake in demonizing sexuality. This appears in a way of being an inquisition into the use of sexuality as an art form. If countries around the world are known to censor classical artwork that displays nuditiy and Apple is now making a woman in a bikini or revealing clothing the same something must be done to stop such acts. By demonizing sexuality you are making it appear to be something that is wrong. By doing so this outlet is going to make all such things seem wrong and thus children as they get older will do their best to become what is wrong as is natural for the rebellious to do. Knowing this, why would you want to tell someone that being beautiful and proud of that beauty is wrong to display in the form of a picture published by a company. Pornography and art are different. Taking a class on Philosophy and art has given me a perspective where tasteful pictures of a woman in a bikini or less than a bikini can still be art. It is the connotation that is important. I think the human body is beautiful and should be marveled at the creation of man. However, parents will continue to argue that it is not proper. In this case I believe the burden falls on those parents to monitor their children not for Apple to restrict the freedom of the press of these apps as well as the freedom of expression. Because much as this art form is being critiqued as wrong of morally objectionable so was Galileo, and we can all see where he now sits in the scientific community. Are they going to make Da Vinci's drawing of the human body wrong to display as well? I think not!

yes another fine example of Apple's gestapo like policies.... things like this will destroy the company at some point soon...

Pete, Apple has already blacklisted competitors. Wonder why there isn't a Google Phone app?

I laugh at all the "good job apple" and "way to take a stand". Yeah, applaud apple for not really taking a stand, but shutting out any little developers who aren't a corporate brand that Apple is afraid of shutting out.

Do you realize that they are only taking a stand against small developers. Playboy and Sports Illustrated will continue to take in even MORE dollars from this decision. If they were truly "taking a stand" then ALL of the applications would be removed, including the big dollar corporate brands.

A smarter and more globally acceptable solution would have been to rate applications and restrict access. That not only makes more sense, but doesn't shut out the little guy developers.

Sure, Apple can do what they want, but how long before a class action suit by all the little guys crops up against Apple's double standard policy enforcement?

I'm a parent and my attitude about things like IPods are this: If you're not going to stand over your kid 24/7 and make sure they aren't looking at objectible materials, don't buy one for your child. It's up to you as a parent to keep tabs on what your child is looking at. Don't push your responsibilites off on someone else.

Women: Don't like pictures of women in bikinis or skimpy clothes? Then don't look at them! Wow! That's simple!

Apple Dude: I can decide for myself what I want on my IPod. Thanks for your concern but when I need to be policed like a child I'll move back in with my parents.

To anyone that suggested banning apps with guns. Wouldn't that violate our 2nd Ammendment right to bear smart phones with guns on them?

Thanks Apple! Thanks for taking a stand! If God had wanted us to be naked we would have been born that way.

It wonderful to see a company taking steps to raise my daughter for me and instill the morals and responsibilty that they see fit. I mean, really – why should I do that when someone else will do it for me? I have enough things to deal with than monitoring or raising my child!

I am too close to my child, I see her everyday and aware of everything she's into – really colors my judgement. Better to have an impersonal corporation making those decisions for me less my feelings, judgement, or morals get in the way. Bravo!

Nice to see that they didn't take Playboy or Sports Illustrated off. What a stupid decision it would be for a company to believe their moral judgements they make if it interferes with the bottom line. Let's not lose sight of the real important thing.

Apple is acting like a responsible company. Kudos.

Apple probably needs to implement a simple rating system enforceable on the client side by parental controls. Create two categories such as Approved-OK apps and Approved-Over18. If someone clicks on an Approved-Over18 app, it could show a red boarder and test to see if it's allowed. Or even better, make it so the iPhone doesn't even show the Approved-Over18 apps to those who don't want it. Out of sight, out of mind.

Yay! Another company censuring stuff because parents are to lazy to raise their kids and use the systems already in place to prevent them from viewing this type of material. Why should others have to suffer because of these idiots?

What happened to Freedom of Choice?? Oh that's right..... I purchased a Droid !!

Lovely, now I can buy my toddler an iPhone with confidence! I'm so glad that companies can be parents so I don't have to be.

It is censorship. They're talking about bikinis. Anything I could see at the beach. Nothing pornographic or wrong. If you don't like it don't download it. Don't tell me what I can't look at. I just may get another phone if they keep this up.

For everyone opposed to this move by Apple, I offer you this solution -

Allow private firms to filter/censor whatever they want. If you feel so strongly about it, then YOU as the parent, YOU as the neighbor, YOU as the coworker, take a stand and provide kids, women, men around you with explicit pictures and data.

Instead of taking a passive stance and complaining that someone else is preventing it, allow Apple to prevent it and be proactive about disseminating this type of objectionable material.

Oh wait, you wouldn't.

I find the actions of Apple ridiculous!! I have two teenagers and I know EXACTLY what apps they have on their phones. Parents should stop letting other people/companies guide your children and start taking some personal responsibility.

Way to go Apple! As a parent I need all the help I can get. I'm sure this has been a very difficult decision for Apple but I am fully supportive of their position. I have 6 or 7 Apple computers and at least 5 or 6 ipods or itouches in my household. Thanks for helping me keep my kids out of trouble. I hope you can find a way to stick with your decision.

It takes a strong, confident company to stand up against mainstream disintegration of morals!! GOOD JOB APPLE!! I feel that if someone wants porn they should have to buy it the old fashioned black bagged way- IN PUBLIC, no hiding at home becoming more perverse by the day!! I believe accountability and buying publicly makes one accountable!!

Just amazes me that parents will not take responsibility for what their children view on the phones that obviously the parents purchase for them to use! If your not smart enough to operate a "smart" phone, then do not buy the phone for your children!! All of the above apps can be blocked for use by children on DROID!!! I have one works great, however, I would not purchase a phone such as this for my kids!! They may find a way around the security features!!

Follow the money folks....It looks like SI and Playboy got a real good deal with Apple to corner the market for their material....

I believe apple has the right to allow what apps are on the app store. I also believe it's wrong to ban only some (keep PB and SI:S). I don't buy the "i'm a tired mom who has so much to do to keep my kids safe" Parent's are supposed to sacrifice to get the best for their kids. I know I will. But then again, I'm sure just like my parents did with me, I'll raise my kids with the ability to make decisions and understand the different content available.

with that being said, i'm am going to look for alternatives to the apple products. yes they were great, but if you want to block certain content, forget about it. Music from amazon because it's DRM free. yeah.

anyway that's just my thoughts. Apple lost a customer here.

I dont believe in objectifying men or woman and would not DL and app that supports this. That said, I would just not DL one of these apps to an iPhone/iPod. But that is my choice, it is also the choice of another person to DL what they want. It is just that it is their choice not mine or any one else. So although I might not like the software and will never use it I have no right to force my beliefs on others. The apps in question my objectify both sexes, but they do not show murder, hate etc, we are sure apple would never let that fly. Do what you want to do and let others do what they want. Spend more time worrying about what will make you better person, and less about others and the world might become a better place.

Nicely said Nikki!!
I am sure my kids have done a thing or two that I am not aware of in which I would not approve of. At least it was their sole decision to do those acts and I trust that they came out of it still knowing what is right and what is wrong.

By all means... lets ban boobs, and encourage games in which we shoot people, or torture short natives on an island.

This is not a matter of religion. Just because we maintain a moral compass as a society does not mean a specific religion is being endorsed. With that argument then why do we have any laws, just do as you please. This is just common sense, however, I don't believe in censoring just give us the controls to manage what our children have access to.

People on this website are absolutely sad and lonely humans, I can guarantee that. Read some of these comments, it's actually embarassing to people as a whole to think that this is how some people think. There are women in bikini;s on every beach in the world, not to mention on the STREETS. I suppose you should be required to wear a shirt anywhere you go now too. Better yet a turtle neck, I bet you sad lonely humans who have never been near a girl (or are yourself an obese woman) would love that eh. Pathetic world we live in. Now all you fat mothers need to do is get those pictures off the internet. Good luck you fattys.

A rare and admirable move by Apple.

I agree with Apple. Let some other company show the apps. They can be known as a smut phone.

I applaud Apple's decision, strength and responsible action. I recently bought an iMac and recommend it to EVERYONE. Lowering your marketing standards because of public pressure for sexual ads is a turn off to most people I know and we aren't patrons of companies that do. More companies should follow Apple's example – in terms of marketing and the fine products and services it provides.

I like what Apple is doing. Besides the fact that what they are restricting is inappropriate material, Apple is also making a stand for what they believe in. What is wrong with a company who has a certain moral standard to stand up for that standard by making a product that reflects what they believe. Isn't that what most companies do? Create a product they believe in? If not, how successful are they? Ben and Jerry's ice cream stood for environmental issues and nobody was up in arms because they used their ice cream as a platform for something they believed in. So why is everyone up in arms when Apple decided to use their product to stand on a platform of high moral character, whether for themselves, or for those people they server. Does this say something about nation? Are the moral standards our parents and grandparents taught us being thrown out the door?

Sorry to burst your bubble M.E.D. but your kids will know about anything in playboy/penthouse far sooner than you'd think. Sheltering them is what has made america weak.

See the funny thing is that people dont parent their kids anymore. They expect everyone else to ban all content that is not suitable for their children. if you dont want your children seeing this stuff, dont buy them an iphone or itouch, or even yet, use the parental controls!

sure is liberal in here!

Its also interesting that apple keeps the playboy app, that sure doesnt have anything to do with greed right?!

I bet the obese mothers are the ones downloading these bikini girl apps.. Then after 2 hours of scrolling through every picture, crying and shoving cheese cubes and luncheon meat down their throat, they get enraged about how they can't look like that and blame Apple for it. Then Steve Jobs of course caves in. LOL. This whole story is hilarious.

I agree with the point the article is trying to make but the loaded question at the end "Should material that is so widely accepted be banned because it is objectionable to a relative few? " is over the top and hurts the credibility of the complaint because it sounds just as extreme the other way

I was one of the people who called Apple to complain. The icons were too suggestive and you can't block those. As a parent I found this troublesome. I would be ok with a page that contained adult apps if I could block all content including images. It was getting out of control. When you looked at the photography app page almost every app displayed was 17+ . What does that have to do with photography? Put them on a separate block-able page.

Interesting, I think everyone has a point – making this one of those intractable issues. Apple has every right to decide what products it chooses to sell, but it opens itself to ritecule when it bars one suggestive app, but not another. The women who state that porn objectify women are right by definition(if they feel objectified by porn then they have been objectified) – the problem is like the argument about kids how much does one group of individuals owe another in terms of sensitivity to their concerns – in orer to appease the complainign women you ahve to subject others to censorism, which in turn makes them feel opressed byt their loss of liberty. As to the "protect the kids" argumnet – I protected my kids, you protect yours....

The issue here isn't about kids stumbling upon it, or parental guidance, or the many other reasons I've seen cited in the responses. I agree, a parent should make sure that their kids are not looking at this content if that is a concern of theirs, not the responsibility of Apple. However, the problem is with the content itself, not about who might see it. I just don't see the necessity in having these things on the phone. Many may disagree, but the continued degradation and classification of men and women into these predetermined gender roles is entirely unnecessary. With the commercials on TV, movies that have come out and video games, showing women in overtly sexual ways seems to just be thrown in for no particular reason. God of War still would sell and would still be awesome without throwing in sex games and naked women. I'd still want Doritos if the commercial didn't have a bikini clad women eating them. I'd still watch Nascar, regardless of what picture Danica Patrick is using to betray her gender. Apps and games should be treated no differently. Regardless of company ties, or how strong the brand, isn't an excuse for the continued sexual exploitation and completely unnecessary exclusion of an entire gender.

Yeah – Let's be honest. This is likely more about making cornerstone partners (Playboy and SI) happy by limiting their competition than taking any kind of moral stance.

Again, if they wanted a moral stance, they'd all be gone and the web browser would have filtering on it.

Grow a pair Apple.

I have to add that I am a parent of three teenagers, my wife and I both have the iPhone and my children even after their constant nagging will NOT get their own nor do they have access to ours. They have passcodes and even then you can restrict content. The problem is that these parents now days give their children too much freedom and want to place the blame on others instead of looking in the mirror. Now before all of you (you know who you are) get upset I am also glad to see Apple take a stand on this matter looking to protect its image but to allow only the big names to keep their apps out there is wrong. I liked someones Idea about making an adult section of the app store. Only if Apple decided to make that kind of change. I dont have or use any of those apps and my children have no access to them. I take that back, they have friends that own the iTouch and iPhone and I know for a fact that they have seen those apps and/or worse thru them. But it goes back to parenting. These specific children I speak of have way too much freedom as teenagers and my kids are therefore restricted to minimal contact with them. At the same time as they get older its normal for them to be curious about those kind of things and the tighter you pull the leash the harder they want to get away. I dont want to get into a family values discussion but thats my opinion.
My Opinion.

Why don't you just take the phone from the kid...better yet, lock them in the closet until they are 21. If parents taught some kind of moral decency to their children, this would be a non issue. So they can't get it in a app...How much else of the Internet is there and can they shut that down also. What A Joke!!!!!.

Wow, so now all the people who want scantly clad women will just download the Playboy or Sports Illustrated app. If Apple is going to make it an issue then they need to remove ALL apps that show anything more than faces, arms, and anything above the knee.

It's an issue of who has the most money and best lawyers. Apple did not want a fight with Playboy or SI so they bent the rules for them. They realize that making Playboy or SI upset would not be good for their business, so to appease the complaining customers they removed the apps of everyone else. Big companies win while independent developers and customers lose.

Taking sexually orientated apps out of the app store is not going to amount to anything other than making people upset and giving a false sense of comfort to those crying about the material being too degrading or objectionable. Customers with iPhones and iPods can simply use their web browsers to easily find material far more explicit than anything in the app store, and most of it is free.

I understand that Apple reserves the right to do whatever they want because it's their store and developers agree to develop apps under the store's policies, but if Apple is really trying to do the moral thing they should simply get rid of ALL apps that show more than a face. This includes TV shows and movies on iTunes that show women in bikinis and bare skin.

iPad – Internet Policing And De-boobing

Apple knows what's best for you. Join Apple. One of us! one of us! one of us!

The last thing that I want after spending twelve hours at work(military), Is to be told what app’s I can download/use in my free time. They have basically built a monopoly by restricting where you can download from. If you also add the fact that it looks like they are planning on taking legal action on those who want to make app stores like there’s. If they want to take the role as my parent and tell me what is acceptable for me then I want an allowance and for them to pay for my house.

How about this: I'm an adult woman and I find it really objectionable that I go to check out some new apps for my iTouch and I see that every other application has pictures (with little block-out stars) of naked or barely clothed women. I find that completely insulting and embarrassing and degrading. Keep your soft core porn to the soft core porn sites where I don't have to be subjected to it every time I'm looking for a new application.

Obviously the issue for Apple is profit; the big guys can display sexual material because they make money for Apple, the little guys don't. Get ready for Apple's version of the wobble app!

way to go Apple! finally, a company with some moral backbone! it is your company, and you should be proud of it. I am.

I'm a lifelone apple user and I think they messed this one up big time. I chalk it up to lazy parents that want our government to raise our kids.

And way to go CNN with the nice picture on the top of the page. Have a headline making it appear a large company is actually taking a stand on the exploitation of women, then ensure the top of your page includes the sexual exploitation of women. I guess it's necessary to see a sexual picture, you know, to make sure readers understand context. There is no way by reading this article that the reader would truly be able to understand it without your well placed bikini photo at the top to keep everything in perspective.

Way to go!

Sounds like Apple went off the deep end here. Thanks to all the whiny parents out there who are so desperate to shelter their kids from reality that they need to ruin things for the rest of us. And seriously, bikinis? Do you not bring your kids to the beach for fear they might see a girl running down the beach with bouncies? Take your family and go hide in a ditch somewhere or learn to teach them the facts of life. You're only harming them by not being honest and letting them develop in the real world.

I'm not advocating these sexual content apps in anyway, but I want to know how many kids have an iphone or ipod touch anyway. These are pretty expensive gadgets and kids shouldn't have them in the first place. If your kids do have them taking these apps of the store don't really do anything. There are like 30 porn sites that you can use on your iphone for free as long as you connect to the internet which you would have had to do to get apps off the store anyway. If parents don't want their kids looking at objectionable material then don't buy them $300 to $600 gadgets that allow them to look at anything on the internet. IMO kids shouldn't have cell phones until they are old enough to drive which would then necesitate a phone, or old enough to pay for their own phone and plan.

"As of this morning, a Playboy app was also still available, suggesting Apple may accept sexual content if the developer is associated with a strong brand."

Sounds like Apple will be sued.. Because Playboy is a strong brand its ok, but if your average Joe your not welcome to sell your product..

If parents lack the ability to control their children they should not be blamin it on everyone else. First of all why would you give a device that can connect to the internet to a child and then complain about him'her watching porn. He wants to listen to music buy him a regular iPod. I don't get it how some people try to blame everyone else for their mistakes. If you don't want to see wobbling boobs just don't download the apps. It's not our fault for "degrating" women. It's their fault for wanting to take those pictures and wanting to be seen as a sex icon.

"I don't believe that this material is only objectionable to a "relatively few" people. There are children who use the app store and this material is inappropriate for them. Many of these apps are just soft porn that objectifies women. I find that offensive and I am far from alone. If you want porn, go elsewhere."

Ummm... like others have pointed out... if your child has access to these apps, then they have access to the internet. And I don't know what type of blinders you're wearing, but PORN is ALL OVER THE INTERNET. I suppose you want Gore to shut down his greatest creation just because your kid might see something? How about it comes down to your responsibility as a parent to limit what your child sees? You can't ban everything... unless you want this country to be like China or Russia.

What the hell is a kid doing with a sophisticated piece of equipment like this anyway??? Wake up and smell the coffee... the problem isn't Apple's apps... or the internet... it's your parenting skills or lack there of.

As a technology company you would hope that Apple has the capability to set preferences for individual users (or their parents) who may find some content objectionable

While I, like most people -I hope, find the degradation of women objectionable, that is only my personal opinion and our society is based on tolerance. So, I hope that Apple lightens up -because a free society is a good society. And, if we seek to control the "evil people" who disagree with us we simply polarize our society and then divided we will fall...

Big Brother where art thou! Censorship plain, simple, boycott Apple.

Thank you Steven Jobs:)

Degrading women is objectionable and is not considered "freedom of expression" wthen offensive or targeted at objectifying a particular gender. Especially if you are an attractive woman being targeted and victimized by these pictorials.

Rape is often associated with the use of these apps. and again women are harmed and objectified. Thank you for helping fight against the violence and degradation of the nations women:) Great Job!

Sooner or later you will offend someone about something. Sex or Violence or religion the list can go on and on. Apple has the right to sensor its content and should only be aware that if you ban one thing you should ban all. Even the violent games. Its only fair........right?

I think it's ridiculous. Make it harder to purchase or make a separate App store that you have to get a password to access or something like that. But adults should have the right to purchase what they want. Bikini's? All the kids or adults will do is go on Safari and download picts on Google by saying girl in bikini or much worse. Only thing their doing is limiting the range of their products, having the bandwidth bogged down by people constantly surfing for that stuff instead of being downloaded at once and being controlling. I LOVE Apple but that's crazy.

liberals at their finest. lol.

If your child has an Iphone or Ipod he or she is a brat. Unless they or over 16 or 17 what do they need an Iphone for. Go play outside you obese kids...

whatever happened to parents policing their own children?

Congratulations to Apple for exercising its freedom and right to produce products it chooses. If you aren't happy with your iPhone because of this, its a free country, you can buy something else. Have a nice day.

time to jailbreak your iphone/ipod.

It is their sandbox....their rules. They are just a business and this is the same as "No shirt, No shoes...No service" They resever the right to control their sandbox. You want more flexibility...JB your iPhone and do all the things you ever wanted...YOU change the sandbox you're playing in and you change the rules. Do I think it sucks? Most certainly...but their game, their rules.

Kevin's got a point. Ban Bikini apps and go play games where you kill people. Now that's American!

I believe the parents who commented on this message board have forgotten what it is like to be a teen. These devices can connect to the internet. Although I have no interest in wobbly silhouette breasts on an iphone, Apple's decision does nothing to stop them from searching all the porn on the internet. It is amazing how naive many American adults are. The only real solution is for parents to educate their teens. Otherwise, teenagers will do as they have done for generations, and find ways to disobey their parents and do the things they want to do. Sorry, but if your teen wants to look at women online they have a million ways to do so. If you think that is a detriment to their development it is your job to talk to them, not Apple.

So it begins, this is where I trade my Iphone in for a Droid. If I can't get porn on my phone, why have it. By by apple!

if there are parental controls available, why does it matter what apps are available. each parent can decide what their children can download based on their own moral code, or lack thereof. if the parental control isn't enough, don't get your kid an iphone. or a computer. and homeschool them.

The worst apps are the social networking apps that allow you to send pictures to each other. They have become a sex network where men are sending naked pictures of themselves to teenagers, and asking for pictures of them naked.

They get rid of anything remotely sexual but still sell taser and gun apps. Americans would rather have their kids playing with guns than looking at someones skin. That is backward.

So uber-violent games like the forthcoming "Kick Ass" for the IPhone & iTouch are ok, but pictures of people in a bikini are out? Kinda says something about our society that sex makes us so uncomfortable.

I'm glad Apple is cautious with its app store. Sometimes its restrictions are annoying and may end up cutting in on its competitive advantage, but apps are a new territory, and there is reason to be cautious. True parents should be the ones censoring for their children, but I do not want porn and junk on my iphone. That's all over the internet, and it's full of viruses and spam and ads. That's the last thing anyone wants on their phones. I think Playboy and SI should be allowed to have apps because they are well-established companies, and aren't going to create problems in attempts to generate buzz for their apps. Restrictions can go away as the industry evolves, but for now, I'll take my apps carefully vetted, and in fact, I wish there were more strict guidelines on the advertising in them.

AFLAW – Angry Facist Liberals At Work
Protecting the universe from itself for more than 40 years.

@Responsible Person
whatever morals you're talking about, they are not mine.
people should leave their opinions and parental shortcomings out of my legal consumption of goods and services.
btw, i have yet to purchase any of the apps mentioned or previously offered.

I love Apple but I believe this is a mistake. Just because there is questionable applications out there doesn't mean they should ban them because kids have access to them. Pretty sure kids can get access to a lot worse things by simply browsing the internet. Apple should just put a adult content page for all the apps and have a disclaimer pop up saying that the content of the section is for 18+. Parents need to chin up and take responsibility in raising their kids and stop relying on others (Apple in this case) to do it for them.

Apple is a company, not a government. They should be able to do what they think is the right thing to do without getting a bunch of crap about censorship and freedom. If you don't like the limits Apple is imposing, get another phone. You can chose to base your decision about which phone to get on what kind of porn you can see on it. That's the freedom part.

And it is NOT being a lazy parent to ask for help in limiting your children's exposure to material that you, and most of the rest of society, believe is inappropriate for their age. No parent can be with their child 24 hours a day to ensure they don't see what they shouldn't. Making it more difficult for children to see such stuff emphasizes to them the inappropriateness of it. And I think that's a good thing. I think I may just buy another iPhone to let Apple know they're doing the right thing and I appreciate it.

to all those who applaud this decision because it's inappropriate for children... BECOME A PARENT! it's not the world's job to "protect" your children, it's YOURS!

if you find something objectionable, don't use it. it's there because there's a market, and frankly, this is comical. if apple choses to prevent these apps on their website they need to open things up and have these apps available via other means for download.

it's time people grow up and accept life and responsibility.

with as many different "beliefs" that exist in this country, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING will be deemed offensive by someone. Should gambling be outlawed because not all americans approve of it? Please.

lol I bet I know what happened. They say they got a lot of complaints. I bet they didn't care.......until....some executive at Apple had his own teenagers or grandchildren download those apps...then they cared. But I guess it sounds better when they say it was due to customer complaint.

Yes, we all have freedom. But what some today fail to realize is that with freedom comes responsibility. Responsibility to society as a whole. These apps are just a symptom of society degenerating to our lowest common denominator. I am glad Apple took them off. Everyone likes sex sure, but it doesn't have to be everywhere we look. There's more to life, find another interest.

Well done Apple. Why should parents be parents when we can just have you raise their kids for them?! Imagine the the moral fibers being broken if a kid were to see *gasp!* the silhouette of a woman! Parents might actually have to sit down and have a discussion about sex with their children!!! Oh the humanity!

Sad to think that sex is such a "dirty thing". It is not, I bought the HTC Tilt 2 becuase Apple is living in the 1700's ruled by priests that burn witched at the stake. Regardless of their rules and regulations...it's easy to jailbreak them and use them as you feel. Hackers will not be messed with, we will take you and your company to China Town. These Sexy Apps have nothing on what kids look at on the internet. If your a parent don't think your smarter than your child...your not. Computers are ruled by the younger generation...and will always stay like that. Old people that are running on old software will eventually die off. No wonder Europe thinks we are a bunch of hypocrites that act like innocent when it comes to sex, behind closed doors Americans are some of the sickest. Good job parents for making kids and hackers totally laugh at your computer skills...rofl, you will not phase us at all. I will continue to hack and distribute all programs all over the world bring iphone to its knees.

To add apps to an iPhone or iPod touch, you have to enter your iTunes account information. It seems to me that those narrow-minded prudes or thin-skinned women who object to these kind of apps should just make sure that their kids or themselves don't have the information to be able to obtain apps in the first place.

And for you prudish people who are cheering Apple for complying with your antideluvian moral standards (I mean you, Peter), STFU...or better still, get rid of your iPhone and continue to live in ignorance of the real world.

This is what I would call creeping censorship. Apple should be announcing the move of their corporate offices to China next....

Apple is not declining to show degrading pictures, they are allowing PLAYBOY and Sport I applications, they are just banning some of those that Apple thinks they do not have cover for. IF Apple was doing for any moral reason whatsoever, Play Boy and SI would have been the first to go.
Of course Apple gets to do this is they want to, if you buy Apple you agree to punt all open standards of any nature for a very tightly controlled content from a very controlling and opinated company.

Parents– you want your kids to grow up to be respectful of women– then Teach it to them! Don't make the electronic media the "bad guy". If your kid grows up in a broken home with 2 mommies and 3 daddies– well you have yourselves to blame. If they grow up with respect, then they in turn will give respect.
Apple I agree is making a bad decision to censor thier apps. If you as a parent, figure the media will raise your kid well that is what happens you end up with deliquents.
Demystify the pictures, the apps, here is an idea TALK TO YOUR KIDS, Educate them correctly, Show them that the things your hiding from them are not a big deal (as they are age approriate and can handle it of course). If they know what stuff is and its not a big secret they tend not to care as much as I have seen. So if they do see something that is deemed "too sexy or too violent" those kids that have been taught about what is and is not acceptable will be able to move on to other things that they should be concerned with.
Apple or any other media should not need to censor any apps, I do think that they may loose some of thier customer base by doing this, how many–who knows, however I am sure there will be those folks that will turn to other personal device vendors that do allow people to decide for themselves if that is the kind of content they choose to view.

Did everyone defending Apple totally miss the hypocrisy of Apple pretending to be sensitive to women and children EXCEPT when it comes to major profit makers like SI and Playboy?

And "no skin"?! ATT demands that iphone users purchase their expensive monthly internet plans: do an iphone internet search on "skin" and see what you get then!

Apple and ATT are money-grubbing hypocrits!

Look at what it says to the right of where I am typing this; there is a CNN Comment Policy!!! How dare they!! I should be able to say anything I want!!

They want to make sure my comments are appropriate! MY GOD!!

Did you see what I did there? Clever huh?

What an unwise business decision on Apple's behalf. They chose to block applications that appeal to the market that can actually PAY for them. The rest of the world handles these problems through parental controls. It should be so easy for the smartest tech group on the planet –besides, they already have such a stranglehold over the app approval process. These apps were so small in number, but the message is huge: Apple controls the apps and thinks for us. Parents are so stupid. They want bikini-clad women blocked but apparently they don't mind the ultra-violent apps that kids also drool over?

Verizon, Google, and others will see this as a way to promote their free development in apps and help retain marketshare.

Wow most of these posts are by those with little to no life experience or conspiracy theorists.

The facts are that the app store had a problem, it was littered with not just bikini apps but nude and sexually suggestive apps. These apps appeared in multiple categories and there wasn't a way to filter them out. If you do a simple search for just about anything chances are half the results would be to one of these apps. If you don't have an iPhone/Touch then you obviously wouldn't know this.

Apple provides a way to block Safari and youtube so that parents can restrict their childrens access, they also offer restrictions for purchasing content (app store) as well as a ratings system. The ratings system did not block a user from seeing all that was available in the app store just from purchasing it.

Like it or not plenty of kids have iPod touches they use for gaming, music, movies. It was irresponsible of Apple to open the floodgates and all of a sudden allow apps of this nature to flood the store after denying them for years. This allowed questionable material to be viewed by all. Kids and adults alike shouldn't have to be subjected to questionable material just to download a new game or app.

I think Apple has removed the content in order to revamp the store and allow for better categorization in the future. If the store had a category for mature audiences that could be blocked from the device settings this would be an ideal compromise.

I think it's unfair for those that are judging parents when they have little to no understanding of the situation as it were. There are plenty of parents that do monitor their children and do care what they have access to, why should they denied the benefit of the app store?

Please people think before you type, it's not just about you and your gratification.

I would not buy a $200 phone for my child if they could not handle seeing women objectified. Teach your kids to react to questionable material appropriately because they are going to run into it in this world. A good sensor is no replacement for good parenting.

Ok, so kids these days have iphones but arent old enough to look at girls in swimsuits with bouncy boobs?

And what about me, a 30 year old grown up. What if i want to have those apps on my phone. I dont need my parents permission, why should i have to get Apples?

I totally agree with Apple to remove those apps i am a new mother and i an discusted in the way it seems many people are now a days. Everything is about sex and porn and who can look more like a scank this is what our young children are thinking is normal where is there innocents you have young america doing "sexting" and having babies at younger ages now people just dont get it. you keep up with having to see everything and everyone your just desperate get a life learn to get a girlfriend or wife and learn to be happy with that one person b/c when your an old man/woman by yourself or you have sexual diseases and you dont know where you went wrong it all comes back to this you could just never grow up and be happy with what you have or had.

Bottom line... PARENTS should have the ability to control what apps their child sees... But that's it. An interface on the web that allow a parent to block gambling and apps of a sexual nature is fine. The rest of us can censor ourselves...

Since when does Apple have the right to play the role of moral guardian for the U.S.A. Violence is significantly more detrimental to children than scant sexual innuendos. When is Apple going to remove the violent apps as well? Or wait maybe they should eliminate the political applications which are deemed "offense" too...Apple is turning into the new "big-brother"

Ok, now I think we definitely have gotten way to freakin PC and sensitive in this country. This decision is now teetering on the fine line called Freedom of Speech. This decision is not the way to solve the problem and is once again a knee jerk reaction to a problem that has many other solutions. Why not establish a section of the App Store that has to be authorized and locked down so kids can't get into it. I mean in all honesty should you allow your kids to buy any application they want, I DON'T THINK SO! This is an issue where the parents need to control their kids, and the people who are sensitive need to grow a backbone and roll with life, NO ONE GETS EFVERYTHING THEY WANT! SURPRISE!!!!

I can't believe how few people are talking about how this imposes on freedom of speech. This is a HUGE deal, just imagine if windows only allowed "approved content" on its operating system – this is all well and good when we talk about keeping children away from inappropriate images but by giving one company the power to filter content on their OS we are not far away from have companies like Apple dictate which news site I can go to or what radio program I can listen to. This is a slippery slope. Net neutrality and OS neutrality is the only way to ensure freedom of speech – This is a BIG step in the wrong direction.

Umm...the way I read this is that Apple, a public company, made this decision, not the government. They made the decision based on what they thought would be most successful with the population/masses. That seems to be freedom of speech.

You can dislike these actions all you want, (you're FREE to do so), but if you're asking for legal action, then you are trying to squash someone else's freedom of speech by arguing for your own freedom of speech. That's not a precedent we want to set.

If you want to download porn, or want your kids to have ubitiquous access, then find another platform. You're free to do so. Unfortunately, you're free to watch it on the train, bus airplane, sitting next to anyone else, whether or not it offends them, or their age. Maybe that is why Apple sought to protect their image, by the misuse by others.

There's this whole argument floating around where people are saying things like "If you don't like it, just don't look at it or download it." And there is some logic to that, but it's not enough. Just because I, and many others, choose not to download this, doesn't mean that people are not still viewing this material and being affected by it. Just because women who don't like it don't download it, doesn't mean that the men who do look at it won't believe all women to be the same as the objectified woman they could buy on their iPhone. It's the same thing with strip clubs. Not all women want to be strippers, and avoid that profession. However, the men that frequent those establishments will come away with a certain perception of the female gender as a whole. A gender that can be purchased for a meager sum for entertainment and pleasure, and then disposed of when done.

It's not enough to just say not look at it. Why even offer it in the first place? All of you people with iPhones who want this stuff would still have an iPhone if none of these apps were offered. I find it hard to believe anyone out there bought this phone simply to have easy access to women in bikinis. It's just an "added plus" for you all, but not at all necessary. We need companies like Apple willing to take a stand and just not offer the material in the first place. The phones will still be sold.

If we truly want men and women to be treated equal, you have to stop the source of the problem, not just ignore it. That's like saying if you have lung cancer, just stop breathing. It fixes nothing.

I am not a parent or religious. I am simply a person who is thrilled that a company as large as Apple has taken a stand for everyday decency. I hope more companies will follow their lead. Advertising and entertainment have become so overly sexualized in the past ten years that it's difficult to avoid being inundated with it just going about your day to day routine. It's not as simple as simply "choosing" not to view it. It's everywhere. This is a great start in the right direction. Thanks Apple Inc.. Your sensitivity is appreciated.

Its amazing how many of the men replying to this are ignoring the comments from women like myself who are offended by being objectified, instead only focusing on the "kids" aspects and how everyone is a bad parent, etc. Or obese, amiright?

I would be perfectly fine with a seperate application page labeled adult content. However, the small pictures in the application store with barely clothed topless women is completely offensive to me as a women.

I have to deal with men staring at my breasts all day at work and I don't want to be subject to that sort of sexual nonsense when I log into Apple to look at apps. What's your argument to that guys?

I think that Jailbreak needs to specialize in these apps to make them more popular.

Apple is good, but they really need to RELAX! The company acts like we are all 12 and they are our parents. Just put an age verification or warning like they did on music.

We bought your product. We should be able to put whatever we want on it. Are they going to control our skins too? Jobb needs a b!@# job.

I wish all these people that want to police what other people do and think would head on over to a communist country that will do their thinking for them. This is a FREE country. Quit taking my rights away. Give me a break. I

May be they should develop an app to filter out all the explicit apps. Don’t Ban the application just because few woman complained about it. If parents wants to keep these apps away from their kids, Give them a pager.

I'm an adult with no children. I resent all the censorship going on because parent aren't doing their job. I will absolutely not buy any Apple products. And why do kids have such complicated, involved phones anyhow? Can we say spoiled brats!

What this group finds objectionable, obviously some do not. What do we do when EVERYTHING is objected to by one group or another? Do we ban all?

"... Apple may accept sexual content if the developer is associated with a strong brand."

Nice ... Apple allowing sexual content from providers that are potential good economic partners. Apple is undoubtedly innovative when it comes to technology, but their stronghold over how you use their products is not good for the industry (only available on 1 network, closed OS, not approving apps that are potentially bad for their bottom line, etc). For these reasons, I side with Google's Android. Let just hope Android (or something like it) is able to compete and be as innovative as Apple.

Android = win.

Apple has gone halal at long last. All praises be to God. Death to images containing indecency, and to freedom of expression, the first amendment, the right of adults to choose what they may purchase, phone numbers containing the number of the beast, humor, beauty, et cetera. God bless Apple for protecting me from sin.

Keep it up Apple and I'm buying a Droid.

This is completely REDICULOUS! I am tired of "big brother" watching over us telling us what can and cannot do, what we have to buy with OUR money or face a fine, and limiting what we can do, have or see. Apple doing this is just a sign on how WEAK they really are. Listen, if a PARENT is dumb enough to give their pre-teen or even teenage kid an IPhone, IPod touch, computer, or game without knowing EXACTLY what it is then they deserve for their kids to find the things they are not supposed to. These parents give their kids computers but do not monitor nor limit the content of their web browsing... but they blame the companies for having sexual content. These parents buy kids GTA without reviewing the game first, then complain that it has sexual content and violence that they were not aware of. These parents give kids Ipods or Iphones and money to buy whatever apps their kids want then complain because of a "wobble" app. Wake up people. Montior what your kids are doing. Dont blame companies for your own ignorance. Don't limit what I can and cannot see or do because you are too stupid to montior your kids. The bottom line is America has gotten so soft that we want to blame everyone else for our problems BUT OURSELVES. Parents have a RESPONSIBILITY to protect their kids, that means KNOWING what they are doing and LIMITING them not complaining because they are too lazy to spend time with their kids and monitor them. This is so sad.

What a sham, wait til apple finds out they have a web browser built into these devices. Will blocking them be next?

secondly have you seen what is available pre-censoriship on the apple store? nothing!

you children are using the WEB BROWSER to access these things. what morons.

Way to go Apple! Many people have forgotten that five years ago, Apple was almost exclusively limited to schools. It is important for the company to maintain its foundations. As a young woman who frequently sees men on campus using lewd applications, I'm glad Apple chose to stand up for the integrity of women. Of course men are ones most outraged by Apple's decision, but just run a comparative poll of how women feel towards the decision versus how men feel. Ultimately it's our figures that are being portrayed as objects for male entertainment, and therefore our voices deserve to be heard. Men need to turn to other sources for sexual entertainment, not to a company that has historically been family and education based.

Good for Apple for taking a stand for morality and purity. I hope they will be consistent with their decision. For those who say "I should be free to do as I please", I can give you that. You can still do as you please, just not with apps from the Apple store. I applaud Apple for doing what they think is right. They have not imposed any values on you the consumer. They have taken a stand as a company. Now you can make the choice whether to stick with them or not. Go Apple!

Good job Apple, I was tired of always having to watch what my kids were doing. Now I can be a lazy slug and let them raise themselves. I feel so much better knowing that they won't find any evil boobs in the App Store, and I'm sure that they will never watch tv or go on the internet again anyway so I'm good now.

None of it should be banned. Let the users decide what they do and do not want.

Though at the same time, it's kind of the users' fault for buying an Apple product. Apple products are designed so that Apple has complete control over them. You don't really buy it, you're just renting it from Apple.

To all the parents, guardians, aunts, and uncles who think this is a good idea,

If you don't want your kids to access this type of material, why are you giving them a device that contains the whole of the internet in their pocket? Forget the app store, all they have to do is search google for adult material, probably much more objectionable than anything on the app store.

This move by apple was purely symbolic, it does nothing to stop kids with smart phones from accessing adult material online.

I generally love Apple, but on this, shame on you. It's not up to corporations to raise our kids.

All of you who are 'applauding' Apple obviously didn't read the article, they are still allowing Playboy and Sport Illustrated to be available to your precious little kids, why don't you do the parenting and not rely on corp america to do it?
Also, what is preventing any underage kid from going to any of the free porn sites by using the browser? Grow up people, and if you are going to praise Apple for doing this, don't be hypocritical when they still allow Playboy & SI.
I was actually considering buying an Iphone this weekend, but after this I doubt I will, not because I can't get the apps, but just based on the principle of censorship, especially selective censorship!

I'm not afraid of a little boobage. The only apps that offend me are the ones I actually pay for only to find out that they are crap.

This has nothing to do with kids, I am sick of having to see these apps whenever I am browsing through the App Store. They are not segregated into a separate category and there is not a way to block them being visible in your App Store. – I don't care what anyone else wants on their phone, but I don't want to have to see it. So if getting rid of them is the only way, fine. But I would be just as happy with a Setting Option to block them from being seen (like you can do with adult channels in your cable or dish menu).

If i was stupid enough to own an apple product I would throw it out with the company. How dare they decide what we should see. When they install cameras in your homes and tell you what to do there maybe you will all wake up

I don't remember any "objectionable" material coming on my iPhone...which means if you're seeing it at all, you put it there. How about parents try being responsible parents for a change (easy solution: save money and don't buy them an iPhone), or if you're some hairy, butch femi-nazi, don't download pictures of girls that look better than you: it'll keep you from getting jealous. At least I can still get porn through the web! As an adult, that's my choice.

Now, is Apple going to Ban Sexting also. Opps!, kids should not send explicit text messages or send their own nude pictures.

Great step in the righ direction, Apple. Thank you for stepping up, takign the initiaive, and doing this! Hopefully more co's follow your lead in this regard.

Who cares. Thanks to youporn and other internet flash sites I can't even get aroused until I see an asian chick in a cheerleader costume getting spit on.

I applaud Apple for this decision. I too have resented being assaulted with pornographic or suggestive images – if they are going to offer apps that contain this kind of material they should tuck it away in a category listed as “Adult.” I would prefer that they eliminate all adult content but at least this would be another step in the right direction. Listen people, I don’t care what your political or religious affiliations are; few things in society are more destructive and de-humanizing than pornography. You can rationalize all you want but pornography is a scourge in our society, trivializing and corrupting peoples perceptions about one of the most sacred and beautiful forms of expression of love between a married man and woman.

I think this is illegal. It is akin to Canon tearing up a photo of a centerfold style model that you printed at home because they found out it was printed with Canon ink.

If Apple was truly an open and just company they wouldn't have just and Apple "App store". They would have nothing, and 3rd party App stores would pop up and the whole thing would be self correcting and regulating like a Wiki. But Apple's mantra since DAY 1 is, "When you buy Apple you get APPLE and nothing else." So, when you keep score of Apple and who they are and how they do business, I think this App Store move is perfectly predictable. The consumer/educational computer side of Apple is pretty much a toy market anyway; somewhere between Fisher-Price and Atari. Which means kids, which means parental style control. Which means no boobs. Unless it comes from the Money Men like Playboy and SI.

I wince every time I hear of a school system that buys a ton of Apple computers to give to the students. That is our tax dollars being used to buy the most expensive, non replaceable, non upgradable, most proprietary computers in the world. You can smell the burning money.

In a day and age where it is pretty much a fact that the Government Elite, Corporate Giants, and Financial Big Wigs are destroying this country at a break neck speed, trading our security and welfare, for their own wealth, why would we be surprised to learn Apple is going Fascist, and the Government and Large Brands are totally on board.

Chandra I do believe you lost me there. Your telling me that the girls posing for all of these apps did it against their will? Hell no! They did it for cash! They know sex sells! Rape? Use of these apps?? What?? Did you say rape?? I am sorry but I dont ever recall aperson blaming her rape on an app nor do I remember an attacker admit or blame apps for his actions. Please thats a far stretch. Violence using guns can clearly be a different agruement.

I work for a public school district. Two comments:

One, my district firewall wouldn't allow me to open the image referred to in the article. Make of that what you will.

Two, within school districts it's common knowledge that American society has forced (or been forced by economics) to hand off much of it's child-rearing and parenting responsibilities to schools, public and private, but without allowing them much in the way of disciplinary abilities. (Look at the children around you and decide for yourself if this was a good idea.) If we are going to continue this trend, it's foolish to assume that parents will be in any better position to monitor content than they are to actually raise their own kids. Yes, we all agree that in theory children should be raised by their parents, but most families these days require both parents to work 40-hour workweeks to survive. They simply don't have enough time -and physical and emotional energy- to properly raise, discipline and encourage their kids. It's time to acknowledge reality. Unfortunately, this means Apple's step was a correct one.

I find it funny how people think limiting apps is going to keep their teenage kids from looking at soft core porn. They can simply pull up the internet on their iphone and have a much larger magnitude of porn at their fingertips. I understand the want and need to protect your children - I really do. However, most decisions like this are a bit ludicrous in that people must someday understand we are in the age of information and technology. If your children want to see something, they are going to regardless of what you restrict or don't restrict. You might cut one source off, but there is one just as easy (if not easier) at their fingertips in a matter of minutes.

Also, I would much rather have my children have an iPhone app that has fake jiggling boobs than clicking on safari and opening up streaming porn websites. Just saying.

Maybe Apple should remove its Safari Browser as well since you can access all kinds of naughty things with it! Of course since there's no flash on Apple Products, it's mostly useless..

Any parent who buys their kid a iphone is an idiot. Anyone old enough to buy an iphone on their own is old enough to look at porn.

Too bad Apple has to prop up of incompetent parents who are too weak to raise their children themselves. The iphone has parental controls but then Mom and Dad would actually have put in some effort to control their children lives. Most are too lazy to raise there own children.

"Rape is often associated with the use of these apps. and again women are harmed and objectified. Thank you for helping fight against the violence and degradation of the nations women:) Great Job!"

Rape is often associated with the use of these apps???

REALLY???

Where's the study on that? Just because you believe something doesn't make it so.

What's funny is all the talk about "women being degraded" when in fact their the one's that are doing it. Their the one's collecting big bucks to tape these movies where all types of things are done to them. And they sit there with a big smile on their faces while they are being "degraded".

I'm a 40 year old guy... and I'm not going to sit here and pretend I haven't seen porn and haven't enjoyed it. MOST men like it... whether they admit it or not... I'm just telling you like it is. Men think about sex MUCH more than women do. So to say everything needs to be cleaned up in the world... all the apps... the internet... it's simply silly because it's never going to happen. Besides... women wanting easy money are a big reason it will never end.

It's not all a bad thing... just make sure that whatever you give your kid... a high tech phone or a computer... you RESTRICT what they can see or download.

A great example of having a restriction is... rated R movies. Kids are not permitted to get into the movies under age 17 without a parent. Yes... and sometimes that fails... but there is something there in place. So what should the movie studios do... stop making movies with foul language or nude scenes because your kid somehow happened to see one???

GET REAL.

Well, thank you Apple, for making my decisions for me ... not only will you control what I can download (and purchase with my own money, thank you very much), but you have also helped me decide to go elsewhere with my mobile player money.
While I am well aware that this will mean NOTHING to the company bottom line, I am saddened at the parents throwing a fit about this (before you chastise, I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter, so I do have some amount of parenting under my belt). There is such a thing as parental control and guidance, but that seems to be a lost art any more. It is not up to Apple to make decisions for parents or children, it is up to Apple to offer the products that they see fit (after all, they should be in the business to make money) ... therefore, you can tell that this is a business decision caused by pressure from a small group. Gods forbid that we talk about sex in this society, it's no wonder we are so behind much of the world.
This is the real world, you're gonna break some eggs, and you will most definitely piss someone off. Not everyone will like what you are going to do, on either side of this issue. It is up to Apple to provide and approve products (to make money) and it is up to parents to guide and parent their children (you know, like you're supposed to). If you are a parent and your child is a 'burden', I would be willing to bet that there is a family in this country that cannot bear children, who would be happy to provide your child a home where they aren't such a burden.

Parents should not let Apple do the parenting.... Let Apple be and parents had better take responsiibility for teaching their kids the morals they wish to enstill. I'm tired of people blaming companies. Do some parenting and you don't have to worry about this.

Yes, women who are in porn have decided to participate. However, many scientific studies show that men who frequently look at porn become accustomed to objectifying the female population AS A WHOLE. Males are being taught from a young age that it is appropriate to view women as an object to USE for pleasure and that it is appropriate to be constantly viewing and critiquing women's bodies in a disrespectful manner. How are you supposed to be the guy who watches crap all the time (facial shots, rape scenes, multiple women-one man, titles that include "sluts, --hungry, whores, nasty") and then values the women in his household and in the boardroom? How do you turn off the type of sick thinking that pervades some porn? Can you?

Does viewing this type of material damage society–not just for those who view it– but for those affected by the portrayal of women? Yes. There is much research on this subject.

Historically, women have been valued mainly for their physical attributes. Researchers have found that such sexual objectification can lead to negative psychological effects including depression and can give women negative self-images because of the belief that their intelligence, competence, and personalities are currently not acknowledged and valued by society as much as their physical and sexual usefulness.

Thanks to Apple for starting to cut off some of this content, which is disrepectful to about half of their consumers.

If you want to view it fine, but please don't delude yourself into thinking that porn doesn't objectify women and doesn't often have degrading content.

I'm with Apple on this one. It is their product, they can do whatever they feel make the product more valuable or appealing. Many, myself included, are tired of being inundated with sex everywhere we go. I applaud a company for standing up for virutue. Like a previous posted wrote, go someplace else for porn. You won't have any trouble finding it. Leave my world a little cleaner.

Kate February 23rd, 2010 2:10 pm ET

I'm an adult with no children. I resent all the censorship going on because parent aren't doing their job. I will absolutely not buy any Apple products. And why do kids have such complicated, involved phones anyhow? Can we say spoiled brats!

Kate

Many parents purchase iPod touches for their kids in lieu of a Sony Playstation Portable or Nintendo DS. Why should they have to be worried about what their children will be exposed to when downloading a new game?

There should have been a mature category in the app store with a way to restrict access from the device, there wasn't so I'm sure this is why Apple removed the apps. You can restrict kids from buying apps, using the internet but you couldn't restrict them seeing these apps available for sale.

I'm sure the smut will be back to keep those that want it happy but with much better filtering and restrictions.

if I were to believe what is written here, you would think it is an epidemic. I have an iPhone. I go to the app store. Unless you are looking for sexual content, it is not everywhere. Wobbling boobs? Are you kidding me? People like to point to the "objectification of women" as the reason for sexual crimes and violence towards women. They are wrong. It is the REPRESSION of sex. There is nothing deviant in nature about sex. It is a part of nature and a part of life.

Now if Apple wants to limit ADULT content, that is their choice, but images of women in bikinis and wiggley boobs is NOT adult content. People need to stop being so damn uptight and get out and live life.

Musky February 23rd, 2010 2:17 pm ET

Maybe Apple should remove its Safari Browser as well since you can access all kinds of naughty things with it! Of course since there's no flash on Apple Products, it's mostly useless..

You can restrict Safari access. Please inform yourself before posting such idiocy.

The comments of people applauding this decision are just astounding. People who want apps objectifying women should "go somewhere else" – where, exactly? Oh, right- there IS nowhere else, because they HAVE to go to the app store just like everyone else. So because one group of people don't like it, NOBODY can have it.

The system is flawed inherently, and there is nothing users can do about it because there is no competition. Cheer your self-imposed censorship on, ignorant citizens of the world!

Horray for marxism. Steven Jobs should run for president, as our first communist president. We have our first socialist president now.

Guess what, parents? If your kid has an iPhone or iTouch, he or she is a brat. If your kid surfs the internet without your supervision then looks at porn it's your own fault for not supervising. If you bring a kid to a strip club and are disgusted by what your child sees there, then your an idiot.

I think this is way overboard considering how easy it is to find hardcore pornography using the browser. This is completely backwards and biased towards radical ignorant and un-educated (self or home educated) conservatives.

I don't have an iphone. I don't have teenage kids (yet), however the way i see it – Apple has the right to sell in their store whatever they like. I agree that it is a double standard to allow Playboy, and SI Swimsuit, however their choice. I don't really see whatthe difference is between this, and 7-11 deciding not to sell porn in their stores. You can go elsewhere to get it – but not there. Their choice.

As far as the parenting aspect goes – I am actively involved in raising my kids. The computer is in the family room. I edit the TV guide channels – because my three kids, my wife, and for that matter me don't need to see the title for "insert porn flick here" while we are searching for MythBusters. As a parent however I can appreciate any company that tries to be family friendly. I don't really see why someone would waste their time or money on these stupid apps any way – but that's just my opinion.

oh no...no adult oriented apps! of course with your iPhone or iTouch, you can just use Safari (web browser) and get all the porn you want.
this is such a weak decision.

Roger Amador February 23rd, 2010 2:18 pm ET

Too bad Apple has to prop up of incompetent parents who are too weak to raise their children themselves. The iphone has parental controls but then Mom and Dad would actually have put in some effort to control their children lives. Most are too lazy to raise there own children.

Roger

The iphone has controls but they do not block the user from seeing these apps just from downloading them. Why should they be seen at all if you have parental controls? Exactly why Apple removed them. I'm sure once they put a restricted category in place the smut will be back so that you can have access to as many breasts as you desire.

I watched porn when I was 11 years old and I was so scarred by it .....NOT!!!! If you don't want your kids looking at objectionable things then don't buy them gadgets that they can use to look at them. I hate to break it to you parents but unless you lock your kid in the basement 24 hours a day they are going to have access to most things of the adult variety be it porn, liquor, sex, drugs....whatever. You're best bet is to set a good example at home. The more you restrict your kids the more they are going to rebel and try even harder to get to the things you restrict them from. In all honesty most kids have seen hard core pornography by the time they are 13...there are much worse things in this world than that so people need to chill out and stop trying to force their morality down everyone's throats. The apps on the appstore were pretty mild anyway...especially considering the kid could use the same internet connection on their browser to watch a 6 way peanut butter asian gang bang on just about any site out there for free. Apple can't stop that.

There are a lot of stupid people making stupid comments pertaining to this article, sheesh. I'm a parent of all girls, some teenagers and some younger. Does any other parent have a clue about parental oversight...knowing what your child is doing, etc.!?
How about you all just talk to your kids about these things instead of letting corporations dictate what your kids can and cannot see? Because you know what? At some point, they're going to find out. One day those "parental controls" and filters you have a going to break and not work. And your kid will be stunned and amazed at what's out there and realize what you've been "protecting" them from all this time. And if you haven't talked to them about it, you're not going to like what happens next.
Get a life.

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

- C.S. Lewis

The irony is this: AT&T with its U-Verse service and associated pay-per-view channels is one of the largest distributors of porn in the country. Do parents force AT&T to ban all porn pay-per-view channels? So it is obviously an Apple censorship decision. Why can't these lame parents learn how to set parental controls on these devices? So the rest of America can live a bible thumpin free life? I am so done with this lame country. We are going to bible thump ourselves into oblivion.

If Apple thinks being at a beach & wearing a bikini or taking pics in one is offensive, they can kick rocks! I'm boycotting! It's a shame because I like their products, however, I don't need anyone to impose their so called "morality" on me. What is the Pope taking over Steve Jobs position at Apple now?

I can see them making an "18 and Over" section for the iPhone apps that are on the sexier side but for someone to tell me what I can and can't download is a bit much! Especially when you can go on any Safari browser and get on a porn site in two seconds flat. The hypocritical false sense of security Apple is providing to all of you people thinking you've prevented your kids from seeing something that they could see at any local beach is a joke! If your kids are looking for a way to peep at bikini photos, they will find a way. They are well versed on the internet and if they aren't, plenty of their peers will show them how. Stop asking major companies to babysit your children. It's not their job to make up for the parenting skills you lack.

If Apple doesn't also ban the Playboy and the SI apps, then their policy of banning only certain 'hot' apps is hypocrisy in action. They can't just ban some apps to enforce a moral code if they still want to benefit economically from the bigger money making 'hot' apps at the same time.

I totally applaud Apple for doing. Those apps make my blood boil and are completely degrading to women. I don't have kids but if I did I would be even more upset.

The mom of my daughter's friend was casually scrolling through the apps, showing us all the games there were to choose from. As she scrolled, I saw several pictures of "naked" women (usually with the chest blurred out or marked out with a small, black line) zoom by. I was a little shocked, but she thought nothing of it, ignoring them and just saying, "Oh, this is a good game." I looked at her 10 year old daughter (who is the owner of the ipod) and I just shook my head, realizing this 10 year old girl probably scrolls past those nude images several times (and certainly has clicked ON them a time or two out of curiosity.) It breaks my heart that kids are so inundated with filth and sexual perversion – so that they are not even able to maintain the joy and wonder of childhood for any length of time these days. The irony of all of this is, the friend's mom was trying to extol all the virtues of this device to me, so that we would buy OUR kids one too. That won't be happening. I will protect them from perversion and from being forced to grow up too soon, even if they have to suffer the stigma of being "uncool" with their regular old generic mp3 player that has NO apps at all.

You have to understand Apple is NOT trying to make a moral or ethical stand here. Removing apps that some people may find objectionable is simply a business decision for Apple, and a smart one. Don't object to Apple's right to set their own business rules. If they don't do this, the App store quickly becomes just another porn site and Apple's business ultimately suffers. It's just a business decision for Apple.

It's just like television where government restrictions mean that most TV programming is geared for 12 year olds. USA is not a nation of prudes (witness the popularity of the "adult" apps) but our government is full of hypocritical politicians. You know, the guys that vote against porn but are caught in an adult bookstore, the guys that are against gambling but get caught playing at casinos and, especially, the guys that vote against gay rights but are caught with their pants down in a public men's room.

i had faith in apple... until they picked up the views of the Chinese government... MY PERSONAL DEVICE, NOT YOURS. I paid for it I should be able to do what i please with it. Dont tell me what to do, your not my "mommy"

Whatever happened to the 1984 advert? I guess Apple IS Big Brother!

Jezzus,

People is this really what the world is coming to? Censoring content becuase your offend or your upset at what your kids have access too. how bout getting some thinker skin. the woman complaining were probally upset becasue no one would want to look at them like the woman in these aps. and as for parents worried about what their kids have access too. how bout doing this, dont give your kids a Iphone, kids dont need them if they have a phone all they need it really to do is call 3 numbers mom, dad and the cops. thats it. be a fracken parent and stop expecting others to do the job for you. or if you dont have enough backbone to tell your kids no. dont give them access to the Itunes/ap store, no access means no download means cant see the content and in turns saves money.

people just need to grow thicker skin and stop crying about things that dont matter if you dont like the content dont view it. but dont ruin it for the rest of us who dont care

Although I do not own and iPhone or iPod Pad etc and I am not interested in Apple at all. I do think Apple has the right to sell and ban whatever they want on their private sector company. You wanna see "jiggly"? I am sure you can find entire websites devoted to it. Feel free to browse them on your iPhone.

Droid does what iphone doesn't. Now I get it...
Just when the competition closes in on Apple they go and make this stupid move.

Thanks Apple

Joe February 23rd, 2010 2:21 pm ET

Now if Apple wants to limit ADULT content, that is their choice, but images of women in bikinis and wiggley boobs is NOT adult content. People need to stop being so damn uptight and get out and live life.

Joe there was more than just bikini and 'wiggley boobs' in the app store. There was nudity and very sexually suggestive content not appropriate for all audiences. I'm sure it will be back once there are better filters and restrictions in place.

OMFG All I am hearing is:
1) I'm a bad parent so REMOVE EVERYONE's ability to use/own/buy content.
2)I;m offended but not REALLY offended but I dont want to look at it so no one can.

To both groups, you are all that is wrong with America. People like you are the reason the FCC doesnt allow swearing over the air.

If you dont like it, CHANGE THE STATION. If you dont want to see women, never turn on the TV, radio, internet etc. If you dont want your kids exposed, TOUGH they are gonna anyway, like it or not. Instead TALK TO THEM.

I am offended by the mention of religion in the media, politics etc, so it must be removed NOW. It doesnt matter if its the post popular thing (see the above article). The whiners have won, so now its my turn. I demand all companies and people of America and the world bend to MY opinion of being offended.

That is is exactly what these people are doing. How in the world can we allow this crap to happen? Just wow.

Too many of you don't get it. This isn't about children or parenting. This is about degrading women in our society. Apple has decided more people want to be rid of this than want it. It is thier product.

It has nothing to do with first amemdment rights either. This is a private company – not the government.

Don't like it, take you money else where. I'm not an Apple user, but if I were to have been overwhelmed with this junk, I would not have stayed an Apple user.

The ITouch has a parental control feature to limit content available to kids using it. I am so sick of people feeling government should teach and discipline our kids through censorship when the parents are the ones who should! Parents should know what their kids are doing with their cell phones and other internet gadgets. PARENTS...Use the parental controls or don't give your kids an ITouch!! Know more about these gadgets than your kid!!

I'm offended that women are offended that we find them attractive. Listen ladies, you think the first thing a guys sees about you is your intelligence, think again! The first thing a guy sees is your looks. If that's objectifying to you, then too bad, that's human nature.

I have an idea. Instead of hiding the girls in bikini's and the shirtless firefighters, why don't we talk to our children about what is and isn't acceptable behavior concerning the opposite sex. How about we teach young men that women aren't just things to be used? How about we teach young women that money and possessions and clothes are less important then how a man treats her, and that status means little compared to love. Why do we have to rely on companies and the governement to parent our children instead of doing it ourselves? How about all the parents pull their heads out of the dirt and actually take charge in children's lives. How about you go outside and throw the ball around with your little brat instead of sitting them in front of the TV while you do your own thing. If you spend quality time with your kids and talk to them and pass on advice that you learned, your kids will be better prepared for the real world.

Thanks, Apple! We appreciate your support of parents and women

Just a bad business decision leaving huge market demand opportunities to be filled by competitors. See AOL circa 2001 for further details.

I remember in 1984 when I was 14 years old; Apple came out with that 1984 ad during the superbowl, in which Big Brother's image on the TV was smashed by an Apple heroine.

How hypocritical. Apple is now the Big Brother. We need another heroine to smash this imposing, dictatorial icon.

I love my IMac however.

Do people really need mobile porn and things to sexually stimulate themselves with these days? If you can't go an entire day without looking at porn, you've got problems. Get a computer...magazine...whatever and stay home with that crap. Don't infect the rest of us and our children with your inability for self restraint!

LOL, I get a kick out of the people posting how the apps are inappropriate for children. You people do realize the iphone has a web browser correct? And you do know what children might be able to find online when using that web browser correct? What do you think is more likely to occur; your kid is going to take the time to install an app that you'd ultimately find on their phone just to see a woman in a bikini, or are they going to use the web browser and look at anything from bikinis to hard core porn without your knowledge? Yes, it's the latter, don't assume your children are as naive as you when it comes to technology.

And the morality police strike again. Long live the puritanical narrow minded dullards that seem to make the world stop going round because it makes them dizzy. I encourage everyone to go to Google. Leave Apple for the dullards. I would encourage software developers to stop writing apps for the iPhone.

More censorship. Thanks Apple! I neither have any porn apps on my iPhone, nor do I believe that children should have access to porn, but the there are already ways to control this without impugning the rights of everyone else. The iPhone comes with parental control features built in that allow parents to restrict explicit music, control web access, control apps that are already downloaded, and block the ability to download new apps without permission. I do not need able or a small group of disgruntled parents who don’t know how to use the iPhone to dictate my morality.

Way to go Apple. In a time where pretty much anything has become acceptable just to make money I applaud the fact that Apple actually listened to the customer and not just the bottom line.

I am so glad, I was so sick of seeing all that crap when I just wanted an app for my calendar. Sex is for the bedroom, not my iphone.

"You can restrict Safari access. Please inform yourself before posting such idiocy."

What would be the point of that if I am only speaking to idiots?

For all the anarchist nuts who feel that their right to free speech is being stifled because of Apple's decision, get a life! What about Apple's right to control the content on its own website. They are well within their rights to put whatever restrictions they deem necessary and good for them for doing something resposible, though obviously not popular by the number of posts by oversexed pervs who want access to smut 24/7 for 99 cents instead paying higher fees at porn sites.

I don't get it. Ban Bikini apps??? Are you kidding me! I guess nobody takes their kids to the beach??? What a bunch of liberal losers!!! All anybody has to do is open Safari and type in any of the many free porn sites for pics and videos right on your iPhone. I don't understand how bikini apps are so bad???

Tom M. February 23rd, 2010 2:24 pm ET

There are a lot of stupid people making stupid comments pertaining to this article, sheesh. I'm a parent of all girls, some teenagers and some younger. Does any other parent have a clue about parental oversight...knowing what your child is doing, etc.!?
How about you all just talk to your kids about these things instead of letting corporations dictate what your kids can and cannot see? Because you know what? At some point, they're going to find out. One day those "parental controls" and filters you have a going to break and not work. And your kid will be stunned and amazed at what's out there and realize what you've been "protecting" them from all this time. And if you haven't talked to them about it, you're not going to like what happens next.
Get a life.

Tom are you that insecure or do you think you're the only parent out there taking responsibility? It's not a question of discussing morality or sex with your children vs. objectionable content. Those discussions can take place when the time is right, in the interim why should they be subjected to questionable content?

I was against jail breaking at first, but this is making me reconsider.

All i have to say is really... Our society has come to such a point where soccer moms can seem to fathom their kids looking at girls in bikinis on their phones. What it comes down to is not having appple set a precedent for which all apps must follow, rather as it always has been the responsibilty of the parent. You dont let your kids read your husbands playboy moms out their, I guarntee you kids can find alot more porn online than on a silly iphone app any day. So good luck to you america, take a que from europe Apple and grow a pair instead of getting taken it up the arse from suburbian house wives.

This is not censorship, at least not in any normal sense of the word. This is a company in a free market economy deciding what they want to offer and how they want to offer it. This is Apple's right. This also has nothing to do with religion; any one that knows Apple's history of ambivalence toward church groups would know that.

The adult content is objectionable to more than a few people, but it's really hard to censor any but the most lewd. In the end, pocketbooks will decide whether this was a good idea. The market is a great decision maker.

Its about time, something is done to keep society from becoming filthy but I think bikini girls is ok

this just brings me one step closer to feeling comfortable with "jailbreaking" my 3gs........I am sick of the restrictions and the tether to the Apple mothership......enough already.........warranty or not....jailbreaking here I come!

Here is a petition: Please remove all political apps, your political views could offend me. Please remove all religious apps, your religious views offend me. Please remove any apps containing violence, it could corrupt my children and offend my sensitivities. Please remove…oh wait, never mind, there is nothing left in the App Store to remove.
Nothing can ever be so vanilla not to offend someone, if Apple is going to cater to every group that says they are offended they might as well shut down the app store and give up.

If you think THIS is censorship, consider the much worse case that has been going on for years:

Walmart DOES NOT carry porn magazines on its magazine racks! I don't think they carry them at all, but they do not put them where all customers can easily look at them! Talk about censorship!!!

No, seriously, what Apple decides to do with the content of its store is Apple's business. If I saw some of these apps at the store, I think I would be a bit offended. At the very least, the "Wobble" app is pretty tasteless. I checked out their silhouette... I can't think of an "upscale" merchant that would want that advertised in their store.

Great job Apple.

Great job on being lazy parents, America.
Sidebar: Why would you buy your children a $300-$600 high-end piece of technology anyway?

Great job, America, for being upset over women in bikinis.
Sidebar: Have you ever been to the beach?

Great job America, for not understanding the difference between sexuality and sexual content versus sexual objectification.
Sidebar: Sexual objectification refers to regarding or treating a person as merely a non-human object, or tool, for sex – sometimes described "as a means to an end".

Congratulations, America. You yet again pander to the lowest common denominator in your effort to be politically correct and not "offend" anyone.
Sidebar: Wake up and realize Apple didn't remove Playboy or SI, so this is not really about women's rights.

In summary:
A fantastically wasted and short-sighted effort by middle America – on the wrong issues entirely.

whatever happened to just a plain old phone???

My objection is that Playboy and others may still have a presence in the App store. To me it is either all or nothing. The fact that Playboy is an established brand should not allow it to have special priviledge. Hustler is an established brand also. So, where and when does it stop?

The markets will prevail, they always do! What Apple won't do others will. There will be a point in time in which demand will look for other suppliers who don't control the market but rather let it be free. (Market = an App. Store)
What I foresee is these "Apps" being transformed into mobile website that are as interactive as an app. All someone has to do is create a favorite icon on their Iphone which can be referenced just as an app. Have a great day and consider this.

What..you could get sexy apps?? I am always the last one to find out.

You're right, Walter. It's a business move. They just lost my business. It's not because of bikini apps but the fact they are censoring material that is far from being pornographic or illegal. You fear a woman in a bikini but games where you kill people, kill animals,gamble and shoot guns are ok?

Clearly some of you missed the ability to set parental controls, this solves the children viewing issue. If you as an adult are offended but unable to keep yourself from looking at it, get someone to set your parental controls for you to save yourself. Morality is always dictated by the vocal minority, such is the way our country makes policies all around. Porn, the most sought after and purchased product on the market that no one looks at.

Apple can do what Apple wants to do. It's only suppression of speech or censorship if the GOVERNMENT decides to limit these apps- which they didn't. People don't have a "right" to an app or any other product by Apple or any other private company.

Clearly, Apple has decided to try to limit apps to the "sexy" brands they're familiar with in order to preserve their own brand. It's their choice. If you don't like it, tough. Nobody is censoring anything- it's called "business". And, fortunately (IMHO), Apple has decided decency sells.

Don't like it? Then do what the few educated anti-Apple folks here today have advocated- get yourself a droid.

Thanks, Apple. In my house we've got one macbook, three desktops and two iphones- and we're with you on this one.

First of all, what are kids doing with Iphones or Itouches? These are really expensive pieces of equipment to let a child have access to and alot harder to make sure they are accessing material that they should be accessing.

How utterly absurd
I am perfectly capable (and much to my son's chagrin) willing to watch over my own child and where he goes on the internet
If Apple really wanted to do something worthwhile they would pull outta China and quit giving all that money to people dedicated to our destruction. BTW, if I wanted the thought police I would move to China; I don't need it here.
I regret to say that I bought an iPod without fully realizing the extent of the control Nanny Apple exercises over the device I bought and paid for. Although I don't access any of that cr@p, it is my right to do so if I wish. Jobs needs to get a life and quit trying to run others'
.

Way to go Apple!

So some parent somewhere doesn't want to have to parent their kids and now even stuff that isn't adult in nature gets censored?? This is the problem with one provider owning so much of the market share. They should be censoring religion as religious war and terrorism are far more damaging that a chick in a bikini. In fact, there are plenty religious people who would kill someone for looking at such material. I'm glad Apple is so in touch with their customer base (sarcasm).

I was thinking about getting an iPhone.

Now I absolutely won't.

This puritanical censorship is way out of line. If they are willing to censor mundane silhouettes and bathing suits, what is next?

So sad that Apple is now a corporate behemoth with no soul. Lets hope a younger competitor slices up your market share before you do more damage to our society.

This latest move by Apple makes it clearly evident that they intend to push the new iPad as a family appliance and/or and educational tool. Yes, the Parental Controls built into the iPhone and iPod touch allow the "parent" to completely block access to the App Store, but I doubt Apple wants that to happen.

the funy thing is everyone is talking about Apps ... so now i am a kid i have just been told i can not get any hot girls or nude picks from apps ... what would i do the same thing i know they are doing now... just going to the browers and typing in youporn mobile ... maybe if people learned to be parents we would not have this problem ... here is an idea how about not getting your child a cell phone until you know they are responsible .... its what my parents did and i did not get my first cell phone until i was graduated from basic training lol ... you just cant trust young boys lol

Not about censorship. Apple is a private corporation. It can do anything it wants with it's products. You don't like it, don't buy it or use it. Stop whining about censorship or your right to porns. Go elsewhere if you really want it.

good for you APPLE!

Oh, and Apple should look at the VHS vs. Beta and look which one decided to carry porn and which one didn't and then which one of those survived.

And Apple isn't even selling "porn".

When is the next book burning?

The fat Lindas have struck again. They spend all their time sucking down big macs, and doing everything in their power to block their husbands from looking at attractive, healthy women. Coming from a parent, this is the wrong decision apple, boo. I also agree with others about how behind this country is regarding human sexuality. The more you try and hide it from your children, the more they will seek it out. If you have young children, spend some time monitoring what they're doing instead of trying to censor the world.

So they ban any apps suggesting nudity, but they continue to allow violent games that depict peoples' heads getting blown off? America is so backwards in this way. We have the highest sex crime rate in the developed world because nudity is something forbidden and dirty, but violence is glorified. In Europe, nudity is a non-event. I find it much more degrading to women to label any amount of nudity obscene than having them be able to take their tops off on a beach, for example, and have it be no bigger of a deal than if a guy took his shirt off.

The government is not controlling in this situation. Our freedom has given Apple has to make that decision and I am personally glad that it has.

For those who want something else, there are many choices.

I think it is good policy. Why should there be an app for it when for anywone who wants to view sexual content need look no further than their "Safari" app which will get them to every kind of sexual content imaginable.

Thanks apple for trying to keep it clean.

If people where responsible enuf , NOT to make shoddy porn apps , we wouldn't need to be censored. Freedom is an illusion anyways, If people didn't have checks and balances in life, we would live in a mad max world. get over it

Oh no, what am I gonna do without my daily porn on my iphone???

If you dont like it dont buy it. I mean all you gotta do is hack out your device anyway

We pay big bucks for a device so apple can tell us what we can and cannot do. That's why people jailbreak the iphone/itouch.

When did the world abdicate personal responsibility? When did parents decide to let some one else take control of their children? I'm old enough to remember parents who hid the Sears catalog lest junior see the lingerie ads, or National Geographic should photos of native women be included? Applaud Apple? I don't think so. One more step to Big Brother telling me what I can or can't do. Pretty darn sad.

The apps are NOTHING compared to what is available on the built-in YouTube application, and you can stumble across some of this highty questionalbe content rather accidentally. I was far more surprised to see the stuff on YouTube than any of the scantily clad women in these fairly tame and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition class of applications. Does Apple plan to regulate which user-generated content can be displayed via YouTube's service, too?

Overpriced and censored... and silly.

Censorship is awesome, glad people need to force their views on others. Maybe people should be able to make up their own minds. Parents, maybe your child should not have a $300+ phone, and maybe you should raise them, not the government or Apple.

Not all of us have kids, and I am getting sick and tired of everything in our society having to be geared towards the level of an 8 year-old. I agree with the others who say that it is THE PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITY to monitor what their kids are doing. The App Store had parental controls. But, I guess for this generation of clueless and lazy parents, that's just too much work. Then, there's the Christian Taliban, who aren't going to rest until we're all wearing drab clothes and kneeling in a fundamentalist church. Guess for both groups, it's far easier to force their views down the throats of the rest of us . . . So much for freedom and liberty . . .

As the parent of a teenage girl and a pre-teen boy, Thank You Apple! It's so accessible to my kids as it is, it's nice that there's one choice for parents who want their kids to remain kids as long as possible.

Thanks Apple. Just wanted to join with those who feel you did the right thing. Appreciate your decision and the stand you took.

So much for their long toted catch phrase, "Think Different"

I hate when people push censorship in any form. Censorship does not protect children, it endangers them by making them ignorant. The only way censorship hurts children in today's society is when the authorities react violently to a lack of censorship and the lack of sheepishness and ignorance that it causes.

"How are you supposed to be the guy who watches crap all the time (facial shots, rape scenes, multiple women-one man, titles that include "sluts, –hungry, whores, nasty") and then values the women in his household and in the boardroom? How do you turn off the type of sick thinking that pervades some porn? Can you?"

Wow Cate... nice details in there... apparently you know something about the industry other than seeing a blurb about it.

Lewd pictures displayed in public is WRONG.

Lewd pictures or video displayed for someone looking for it should not be. If you feel your child (or husband) shouldn't be watching it... then put programs in place to prevent it.

To all you women out there with husbands or serious boyfriends: YOU MAN IS LIKELY WATCHING PORN IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER. I've got friends from all walks of life... and all of them watch something from the internet occasionally. Of course they'll tell you... "No... I'd never do that!... That's disgusting... that's immoral." - Yet they DO watch some of it... I can almost guarantee you they do.

My father (60 years old) who is very religious was caught viewing porn. No... I didn't see what happened or how my mother found out... but when I would go on his computer, I'd see in the history that he was watching all types of porn. Now magically a year later there is never anything on his computer... and he's not erasing his history either. So either all of a sudden he suddenly decided porn wasn't for him... OR my mother saw what he was looking at (I'll go with the latter).

Anyway... since so many of you women are on a crusade to stop porn (that degrades so many women)... why don't you check to see if your dear husband is watching it? I'll bet he is.

Have you noticed lately, that now you can erase browser history for the last hour or two? Why do you think that is? I think you know why. Because after dear old hubby watched his porn, he'd end up wiping out all the history and it looked suspicious. If you're really serious about your crusade find a program on the internet that will spy on people using it and will confirm your husband is using porn.

Enjoy.

First of all yoru kids probably shouldn't have IPhones if you are worried about content. It's basically a small computer. Don't you "good' parents have controls on your computers at home? There is no one regulating your home computer why should someone regulate your hand held "computer." Most of you are so ridiculous on here. Maybe you should move to a country like Singapore where all of this is regulated by the government or move in with the Amish. That lifestyle seems to be better suited for you.

I agree with Bikini Supermodel Bobbi Billard that Apple should not be regulating my "Morality." Last time I checked they were a for profit business

One word, people... CENSORSHIP.

If people want to look at boobs, so be it. If I don't want my kid to look at boobs, then I will handle it. I don't need Apple telling me how to parent. I also don't need people telling me that it offends them. If it offends you, then don't look.

@JEP,

This is not about women being upset at being found attractive. This is about a merchant deciding what content they want in their store.

But, about the women and attraction thing... do you think it is wrong that a woman (or man) can reasonably expect to shop for phone applications and not be bombarded with sexual images?

If you like pictures of women with bouncing breasts, that's fine. So do I. But I don't want to be innundated with them EVERYWHERE! I applaud Apple's decision.

I also understand their decision to keep Sports Illustrated and Playboy, since they represent big names in media. This is a business decision, not a "Big Brother" thing.

This is great news. I have new respect for APPLE. I sent an email concerned that this type of content was on my Iphone with no abililty to filter it or opt out. At the same time I had no way to remove the content from my kids devices either. How could I have parental control if this content was being put in my kids hands and I could not block it. I am glad apple has solved this problem. Many marriages and lifes have been ruined becuase of pornography, our kids do not yet another thing to get in their way of having a happy and healthy relationships.

Ill stick with my Android, Thanks. Kids are viewing sexual material and having sex younger and younger even at 13. If you dont agree with content on any given device dont give it to your children...... Dont take away my availability just for your benefit.

If we didn't make such a big honking deal about human anatomy, children would not be so damaged by seeing it and would not seek phone apps to make it wobble. In a sit-com several boys were ogling a magazine when a girl they knew said, "oh, big deal, I see that everyday."

What apple needs to do, is to create a safe way for adults to choose adult apps through itunes, where these are not accessible easily by children. I agree with protecting children. I don't agree with telling or forcing adults how to use their personal device. IPOD Touches and IPHONEs already have the capability to restrict apps based on age ratings.

The more Apple restricts open access and Adobe FLASH, the more people will want to switch to open and less restrictive platforms.

Interesting. I tried to turn on restrictions under my settings tab, rebooted my iPhone and was still able to access the Playboy sales page. The only thing I was not able to do was buy it or see the screen images in the ad. I guess it works – sort of.

btw i am a father of children and my children will never have an iphone or an ipod touch on their own. parents who buy these things for their children yet object to the things it does need to be parented themselves.

its all poor parenting when you buy your children these devices if you dont like "soft porn" then im sure you wont agree with more than half the music your child is listening to aswell

Unless Apple bans how you surf the internet or the content of your movies or pictures on their devices, I see no problem with their editing the contents of the App store – it's their device after all and the store represents them and their brand. Though why they choose to keep things like Playboy and Sports Illustrated after they banned some other less explicit apps is beyond me.

When one chooses enforce someone else's moral code, even by happenstance, it ceases to be a 'business decision' in the mind of those affected positively or negatively. Apple does have the right to do what they want with their app store but I think it would make better business sense to implement a rating/parental control system.

That is somebody's little girl in those pictures. Do you want some pervert looking at your little girl like that when she grows up? As a father of two little girls I know I don't and I think if most men were honest they would not either.

It is a shame that Apple will censor at its whim whatever contents or apps we may wish to buy for OUR iphones or Itouchs. Whenever our freedom of choice is arbitrarily limited because of somebody's else sensibilities or beliefs we are accepting to live by their code and not by ours.
It is already bad enough that Apple may stiffle innovation through its closed ecosystem, forcing some people to "jailbreak" their phones. Now will it want to stiffle our thoughts or desires, I find amazing that anybody could be in favour of such a measure.
For those of us who have kids, it is our obligation to watch over them and control the contents they may access not Apple's nor any other corporation.
People don't know what to do with their freedom and responsibility and that's why they are willing to give so easily away instead of making their own choices.

Just another stupid way to keep repressed people happy.

answer me this, if parents are so concerned about their kids why not an outrage about the hundred of GUN apps?

killing is OK, but sexually suggestive isn't?

i'd rather my kids see boobs then guns anyday.

In my opinion I do not agree with what Apple is doing socially, but as others have already pointed out, Apple is a private company. The can do what they want. If you want to talk about freedom, you have the freedom to not buy their product – it's a free market. It's all about business for them that's why they won't relinquish big brands. Believe me, if sales the ipod/phone drops to zero because of this decision – boobs will be back. Just don't hold your breath.

I wonder how many of you applauding apple's decision to do this also applaud China's heavy handed regulation of the Internet in their country?

But this is a pretty good reason to go with an android phone though.

Although she does arouse me, please do not remove Ms. PacMan

This is ridiculous. Parents don't buy them for your kids. Woman don't buy the device. My kids do not have a device that goes out to the internet unless I am witness. Oh my what is that oh yea... parenting! I do not like my options trimmed by the failure of others to control their kids or their kids content.

So Apple keeps the SI and playboy apps but people are saying good job apple for taking a stand.....

while....

at the same time ignoring the fact that they could just use the parental controls already built in instead and the fact that the child can access the web on the same device for much worse content.

You folks are pure genius

THANK YOU APPLE FOR SETTING THE BAR ON APPROPRIATE IMAGE REQUIREMENTS. THE WORLD DOESN'T NEED IT OUT THERE. FREEDOM IS NOT SUPPOSED TO COME AT ANOTHER'S EXPENSE OR DEGRADATION. ITS DEGRADING AND NEGATIVE AND TO HAVE PEOPLE NOT SEE THIS AS A PROBLEM IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOCIETY TODAY. IF ONLY THE INTERNET AND MAGAZINES WOULD FOLLOW, THE WORLD WOULD BE BETTER FOR IT.

This is so stupid. The human body is the purest form in the known Universe and yet they treat it like its something dirty, repolsive, and evil. Nuts to you Apple. Way to join the Bible humpers who are ruining freedom of expression in this country!

It's not up to companies or the government to censor our lives, it's up to us as individuals. And as for children, it's up to the parents to censor them from things they find inappropriate for them. If you're an adult and don't like something like this, don't look at it, don't download it, don't use it, don't watch it, etc. It's not THAT complicated.

And any parent that would give a child access to such things without any parental control whatsoever either has a lot of faith in their child, or is a complete moron. Either way, they will complain when something like this comes to their attention because that makes them feel better about being a failure.

Puritanical America yet again. This country is such a mess. God forbid a kid see boobs before they are 21, lol

First off, horrible decision by apple. I'm not a heavy app user but I like my options to be there when I want them. They could have easily had an adult section so that users who didn't want the content could avoid it and the ones who did could find it. This is censorship and we as people don't need Apple's "protection". I hate that so many are adversely affected by a few. Gotta love that SI and Playboy were good enough to stay but other independent apps got the axe. Hypocritical, unethical, zealous.....Apple.

"sexual content if the developer is associated with a strong brand."
So strong band = rich enough to pay off apple?

The first amendment states that Congress may make no law abridging a person's freedom of speech (or religion etc.). Last time I checked, Apple Inc wasn't Congress. They're free to abridge as much of your speech as they'd like, if it's through their channels. So arguments of an infraction of the First Amendment don't apply.

Also, while I do agree that it's in the best business interest of Apple to nip this in the bud for the sake of its image (and we know how image conscious Apple is), I also agree that the complaints against these "salacious" apps are a bit excessive. I would fully agree if these apps contained depictions of gratuitous sex acts, or vulgar material, but is it really worth all this fuss for an app that let's you "virtually bounce" a picture of breasts, or look at women in bikinis (which you can do at any public beach)? Please don't impose your Draconian sense of values onto me, and I won't do the same.

I've heard arguments that it's just a reasonable censoring of crude material. To that, I respond: "What do you define as reasonable?" Should we ban apps that fart, or contain humorous material that might offend certain racial or religious groups? Should we ban apps that someone might consider too aggressive or violent? Once you go down this road, where do you stop? Where do you draw the line?

Unfortunately, the small minority of loud, opinionated, and presumptuous has won again over the responsible majority. If you're a parent, and you're worried about this material, then block it. If you complain that they'll just go to someone else who has it, teach your child responsibility and personal values, imbued with a little trust. However, chances are that if your child has an iPhone, you've already failed Parenting 101.

For those applauding Apple at keeping their brand intact with this move, I direct you to the Sports Illustrated swimsuit app, the Playboy app, and the other sex themed apps still on the store. Add to that the R rated movies and music with questionable content that is available in iTunes and we all have cause for celebration.

Apple is a private company and they have the right to decide what they want with their product. However, they aren't being honest with themselves. Having those restrictions and not following the guidelines for all products that they offer, regardless of who makes them, simply makes them hippocrites. Playboy and Sports Illustrated shouldn't have any more rights than anyone else. If they're going to make rules either apply them to everyone and everything or make sure the rules are specific to who or what they apply to.

Ok Apple, you want to censor the community?

I find all GPS apps to be an offensive waste of time. Please remove them.

I find all bowling flash games offensive. Please remove them.

I just realized:

I can access all the porn on the internet through Safari, so you should probably remove that so the parents aren't shocked that little Timmy stops looking at censored boobs on his apps and starts surfing hardcore sites he finds through Google.

People need to grow up.

I say its a bunch of politics why you ask ?cause playboy i still allowed, hmmm makes no sense.

All you people crying out that parents can control what their kids see....are you effing serious? you don't think that it's incredibly easy these days and at literally everyones finger TIPS? Well, wake-up call, it is. And just saying to your kid "i don't want you to see this, it's inappropriate" is NOT going to do anything. The more you put it out there the more they're gonna want it...so they will go to it anyways. It's right there.
And it is degrading to women. I sware if the tables were turned we'd have 50% of the men (or more) complaining as we are. Apple, turn it off, keep it off. They can get their porn and degrading crap elsewhere.
Oh, and by the way. I don't have an iphone. probably won't because the more i hear about it the less i want to.

How about...not buying your kids an iPhone?? I didn't need a cell phone when I was a kid/teenager.

Its the old strip club/prostitution arguement... who is really exploiting who? In the end, there is a market for it, and there are women willing to provide the services despite the moral, legal or medical implications. Neither taking a personal stand nor putting blinders on people will make it go away.

If people like their iPhone or IPod Touch, I doubt this is really going to affect use or resale, but I am curious how some of the app developers react to this. A lot are already pissed at Apple regarding their software writing and development policies. Why give ground to the Wholesale Applications Community before they are up and running?

The government is not controlling in this situation. Our freedom has given Apple the right to make that decision and I am personally glad that it has.

For those who want something else, there are many choic

I have no problem with Apple policing their own store, if they actually did it in a fair and transparent manner. Why is Playboy still up? Why does Sports Illustrated get a pass on showing bikini-clad women? It's completely ridiculous how arbitrary Apple is when deciding what can and cannot be in their store. They have no real policies, just whatever they feel like on a week to week basis.

Once again parents are too lazy or too afraid to parent their own children. Apple already provides a way to limit the access to Applications for children. Why does this need to be done. I can look after my own children Apple. Parents who are too lazy, be warned..There still are violent applications available to download....for now. Also, do parents realize that there is worse material available through the built in You Tube app on the iphone/ipod? I don't like the direction that Apple is headed.

The government is not controlling in this situation.

Our Freedom has given Apple the right to make that decision and I am personally glad that it has.

For those who want something else, there are many choices.

Thank you Apple.

Yeah, right! Banning suggestive apps will undoubtedly make all immorality, bad taste, and offensive material go away. Now we just need an app that makes Apple go away.

Parents need to parent-that's it. I bought my 14 year old a Sony PSP and discovered too late that it had WI-FI capability. It was great porn he downloaded, but not appropriate for my kid. If you are a parent, you better make sure what you are exposing your child to with ANY electronic device you buy them. Apple is merely choosing to remove content that they deem inconsistent with their values, not yours. If you want porn, soft or hard-core, I'm sure you'll find it elswhere. By the way, my son now has an IPod Shuffle in lieu of the IPod Touch. He isn't going to own anything with video capability until he's 18 and on his own.

@ John, I hear that man... I saw boobs before I was 21, now I'm doomed to spend an eternity in Hell. haha!

The problem is that parental controls once set can be easily reverted once docked. The only way to regulate the internet on these tings is to shut down Safari. Poorly designe for regulating contnet.

Remember Apple's famous "1984" commercial where a woman throws a hammer into a gigantic video screen featuring a Big Brother figure who's telling everyone that we must use OUR computers HIS way? Well, guess who just turned into Big Brother. Yup, Apple.

I don't think this is a big problem, most people who can afford an iphone can afford to hire a hooker. So relax, any lonely man can get themselves what they need they don't need it on their phone =P

I have two teenagers and am concerned about what they have access to. So I have taken this radical approach: I have not allowed them to get an iPhone. Or a phone with internet access. Crazy, I know. I got them each a phone that - get this - makes phone calls. Parents need to stop treating kids like they are entitled to all the gadgetry to world has to offer.

Thank God! Hopefully that nasty stuff on the Sistine Chapel ceiling won't appear, either. Thanks for being the monitor of our morality, Apple.

I don't agree or disagree with what Apple is doing, but it seems to make sense that if you don't like the direction a company is heading into, then quit purchasing from them. I don't give my hard earned money to something I don't like.
Parents aren't being parents these days and therefore someone has to take a stand. I do no applaude Apple for taking a stance, rather I am ashamed of the parents who would rather complain instead of teaching their children right from wrong and giving their children the choice and trust that they will make the right decision.

For all those who say the government or business should not be involved, I would like to say obviously you don't have a clue about what the founders vision was or what a republic means. The government as well as its citizens have a right to cultivate civic virtue in society. This liberal (not party) version of "I'm an individual and as long as I don't commit acts of injustice you shouldn't tel me what to do", is fairly recent and is all but destroying any sense of what we owe to one another as a nation. If we refuse to police ourselves as a people then at some point we will cease to have values and moral and will not be able to agree on anything. If everyone agrees that they want to see smut then Apple should have a section where they place the smut, an adult section that's password protected. my 2 cents

Yet another excuse for parents not to parent. No responsibilities are placed on parents or kids. It is assumed coperations, society and public schools are responsible for everything your children does while you (the parent) can sit back, relax and not do anything except be your child's friend. Time to grow up and take responsibility. No wonder public education is so in-effective. Teachers get to spend their days disciplining and monitoring behaviors yet don't get any support from parents. It's time we start demanding and requiring parents to parent. Questionable content? Guess what – you get it when you're older and when you can help pay for it. Come on America, wake up!

I am glad I don't own any iGarbage. It seems they have an app for everything except for what you need which is common sense. Get yourself a nice Palm Pre and be done with it.

I agree with Apple's position. There is a time and place for sexual innuendo and content. Kudo's to Apple for setting a boundary.

This is GREAT! I applaud Apple for doing this very thing! It is nice to see a company standing up against degrading smut!

I am fed up with these holier-than-thou, I-know-what's good-for-you, polictical-correctness-Nazis. Just when did the "rights" of a few shrill whiners supercede the rights of the many? So, now the puritans and the corporate-cowards at Apple have taken away our right to decide for themselves and our right to simply ignore what doesn't interest us? I have no interest in downloading juvenile "boobie-apps" but I certainly honor your right to do so. I have been planning to switch my IT infrastructure to Apple-based hardware; with this latest attack on my personal freedom, I will be looking elsewhere.

I am getting real tired of the conservative right in this country. These people need a new hobby. The one where they get to dictate what the rest of us find acceptable is getting very stale. Is this going to be a global practice? If so, conforming to what others think lines them up for great success in China.

Go Apple

I=This makes me want to vomit! I can't believe i spent the last 9 years of my life trying to protect this country's freedoms, just to have irresponsible parents complain and get them taken away. Keep complaining so that when your children grow up they won't have any freedom. If you want to "protect" everyone, join the military, police, firefighters,etc...people that make a difference. Otherwise, protect yourself by being a smart consumer, and leave everyone else alone. For everybody that thinks I'm just talking about sexually suggestive material, I'm not. It's about freedom of choice in everything.

Hey, let's just get rid of people in the world too, cause ya know, they do naughty things in the privacy of their homes, just as dumb as this is. Because dumb people can't police themselves and their children, let's just make the world a perfect place for them, ugh.

Will Apple be removing sexually explicit music too?

Come on....I'm sure they will still allow an app that allows them to shoot targets or kill something. Thank you Apple for keeping everyone at your "moral" standards.

Maybe it's time to get rid of the violence and only allow scantily clad women and men.

Hey it's their product and can operate any way they see fit. Plus I looked at the apps, most where crap.

People really need to grow up. Why would anyone want Apple (or any other company) police what they can/cannot view? Does nudity, sexuality or the merest implication of intimacy bother you? If so, you probably aren't really human at all. Even so, there is a simple cure for you. Don't use those "offensive apps". I for one would NEVER buy this product. Apple had a hit when they used 1984 in their famous commercial from that year (the introduction of the Macintosh) but now it looks like, instead of destroying Big Brother as they alluded to there, now they are trying to become him.

This is why I won't touch all this apple garbage. I don't need a freaking nanny telling me what I can and can't look at.

Look it's not censorship...it's THEIR product and they can choose what they want and don't want to be available on it. You have to draw the line somewhere. If you are desperate for your porn fix, go elsewhere but I wouldn't want my kid having access and taking that to school. Not that big of a deal...get over it.

This is totally stupid what apple is doing, All apps which are being blocked their magazines are being sold without age restriction. Internet is full of free porn, lol, These apps are not being offered by Apple as default apps, so Apple got nothing to do with it. If an app breaks any age restriction law that app developer should be responsible

And can I just ask...what is the relevency of all these apps everyone is whining about? I really want to know. Take a step back and look at the big picture here. everyone is getting too deep about parenting, morals, and whatnot. So look at the big picture: apple decided not to have a totally filthy product. And you all are crying out because you can't see these dumb apps now? I would like to hear the need for them. I want to hear 1 good reason for all of this whining about it. I've read a lot of comments and the boys are whining. Most of them just don't want to face it that the world is that way because the chances are – they have NEVER been objectified the way all the women they do it to are. They are clueless and always will be. Therefore, they think this is rediculous.
Yeah, in order to live my life I need to see a useless boob or two!!... Why don't you find a companion with substance rather than spend so much wasteful time looking at that crap.

Please this is ridiculous Apple allows the playboy channel on their Sirius Radio app, where they blantantly tell heavily sexually laden stories and yet block the Howard Stern Channels. Keep content editing Apple and you will put yourselves right back in schools as your only source of sales and revenue while Google Free choices your company right back to the failed state it was in in the 1980's. If a parent is going to give their kid such an expensive adult technological gadget then they have the responsibility to monitor content not another overbearing corporate power. My days of using my iphone are numbered thanks to actions such as this....GO GOOGLE to all who believe in Freedom!!!!

This entire episode is ridiculous, since all one need do to see porn on an iPhone or iPod Touch is USE SAFARI!!!!! What difference does it make if people get their porn from an app or from a url? In addition, if Apple wants to be the morality police, they can require age verification for the more suggestive apps just like any other web site or destination that has adult content.

Parents, raise your damn kids! It's Not apple's job to do so, and it's not my job to modify my life because you are too derelict in your duties to use parental controls or your own parenting skills. I am raising a perfectly well-behaved son who has yet to witness a sex act in the media. If I can do it, you can do it too. Quit blaming everyone else for your failures.

Everyone, use the modified phones. There's plenty of information out there on the web about them. Apple doesn't care about your freedom of lifestyle choice, so you don't have to care about Apple's already bulging wallet.

And Apple, you're starting to remind me of Microsoft...but that's another whole topic. Just remember, pigs get fat. Hogs get slaughtered.

hahaha yea because I can't drive down the highway and see billboard adds with sexually explicid pictures of women in bikinis with some suggestive comment on it, or go to a grocery store and see the same thing on headlines of magazines as I stand in line.
Maybe parent should just keep there kids inside, put parental locks on the computers and on there childs phones, parental control on the TV and homeschool them. That is the only way children wont be able to see such things.
Everyday I'm ashamed at how stupid the majority of humans can be.

No big deal. More incentive for hackers to "jailbrake" phones. When corporations act unreasonably, it is up to the public to act in their own interests.

What a horrible decision. It is the responsibility of the parent to control what their kids have access to...not Apple, not anyone else.

If you're offended by it, don't buy it, don't look at it. Nobody is forcing you to use an app that you may be offended by. Just like nobody forces you to watch porn or listen to radio that may offend you. There is a lot of stuff out there in this big ol' world that may offend your sensitivities, that may not offend your neighbor's sensitivities.
I am perfectly capable of making a choice of what I want to watch, listen to or play with. There could easily be an "Adults Only" section that parents can deny access to. Censorship at it's best, we don't need Apple to protect us against apps that may offend someone who isn't even going to be using those apps. Just the thought that they're out there scares people, what a sad, controlling world this is becoming.

Censor yourself and let others do what they will. The women who chose to pose for pictures know what they're doing, they don't feel degraded by it and we shouldn't make them feel degraded.

What? Of course the human body is beautiful, but do any of you seriously believe there's no sleaze factor in what's shown? C'mon. How would you feel if naked women posters were hung in the classrooms of your school age children? This is a STAND, not censorship. The same stand that the NY Times and any non-skin paper or magazine takes. Note that CNN doesn't have a lot of exposed boobs on their pages either.

And the incredibly dumb argument that "it's out there anyway" is absurd. That's like saying we should allow HUSTLER and worse in the library "because they can get it elsewhere." HELLO! If you can get it elsewhere, then do so. We need something resembling standards restored to our society. Go Apple. It's the Right Thing To Do, and the rest of you can get over it or find your titillation on your own.

I got one thing to say about all this:

APPLE ADULT APPLICATION STORE!!

Come on Apple, not every customer is under 17.. Just open an Adult store limited to people over 18 with a disclaimer and a side program that allows Parents to restrict this section from their kids.

Don't just cater to kids. We have feelings too..

Here we go again! And it will never end. The Moral Few will never stop pushing their opinions on all of us who cannot be trusted to their own judgement. My son has more revealing pics in his Health book from school. But again we must thank them for saving us from ourselves.

And people thought things were bad under a Republican administration. The thought police are firmly in charge of this country. Give it another 10 years we'll be living like Saudi's.

Way to go. Let's censor the app store.

Oh and by the way. The Audio books of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, and 1984, The Catcher in the Rye will also be removed.

Why don't we just call it what it is – a good old fashioned book burning!

People if you don't want little Johnny seeing Breasts, then turn off the TV. If you don't want little Johnny hearing about someone's limp penis. Turn off the ED commercials for Cialis!!!

We can not childproof the world, ut maybe we should put a ban on STUPID...

We are the only country in the world that has issues with something like this.. It is not Apple's job but the parents job to watch what their children are looking at. C'mon people and start taking responsibility for our own actions and stop waiting for everyone else to decide what should be done..

I totally agree that parents play the biggest role in monitoring their kids and what they have access to. However, how many people do you think there are out there that have any clue how to use the iPhone they bought for their kid? Setting up an adult-only section of the apps store is a good idea, but I'd bet that most parents wouldn't know how to enforce parental blocking – or that the kids would very quickly get around it. Everyone knows that young people are tremendously more adept at using technology than older people.

Having said that, I still think they shouldn't block them. We're too repressed in this country in terms of sexuality.

I really dont know what to say, peoples choices are taken away, freedom to exspress yourself taken away, me not buying an apple product now, very real. The droid is the one and only choice for a free loving country and any other computer device.

Apple is just totally out of line on this. What other content decisions will they be making for me as to what I can and cannot have on my own device?
This decision is without merit, and constitutes nothing more than egregious censorship in its lowest form.

Yay for the purchase power of women If this was a business decision & it probably was, then it means that women's opinions matter simply because because they obviously buy iPhones as much as men do. Years ago, this junk would not have been pulled because only men made the money & nobody would have cared that most women hated this garbage. Grow up men! Go Apple for whatever reason you did this!

First, it is Apple's store, so they have the right to do as they want. There is no First Amendment violation here—no one has a right to have their App sold at a store. Apple's desire is to maintain their image as "clean" and to that extent, they feel this action helps maintain that. I have read that part of the problem with parental controls is that while they may be set by parents to prevent buying certain Apps, it doesn't prevent individuals from viewing the Apps on the store or watching preview videos and the like. Since Apple wants to be strong in the education market, perhaps it is important to make their devices more acceptable to educators and minimize the availability of these things to younger students. Perhaps Apple could somehow set up a separate "red light" district that you couldn't even see without the proper parental controls, but I still think that would tarnish their image of being clean.

so does apple plan to stop offering R rated movies through itunes, or any tv show that shows a female or male in a swimsuit (hmm basically any show on tv). thanks morale police. there are parental controls. why have them if Apple is just going to be everybody's parent.

SEX IS EVIIIIIIIL!!!!!!!!!11111 MORE VIOLENCE, LESS SEX!!!!!!!!!11111 AMERICAN CHILDREN WILL BE RUINED IF THEY SEE BOOBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111 lolz.

This is why I resisted buying an iPhone – unless you jailbreak it you can only use what Apple and AT&T use. While they have a huge app library, I don't like that someone has to approve of an app before I can use it – that's MY call as a consumer. Glad I stuck with Windows Mobile – who knew Microsoft would be more forward thinking than Apple on something.....

Yes, I agree that having an iPhone or iPod is the same as having a computer and can download anything...which is why my children do not own one. That's my parental control. I take my role as a mother seriously and do not leave it to others to set up boundaries for my lack of parenting...as is the case for many other parents.

But thank you Margaret...as a woman...I hate being bombarded on every side with something sexual and tawdry. Thank you Apple. You have my business. And there are million other ways you can see a naked woman.

Thank You Apple.

And to everyone who is complaining how about this thought... Apple is a corporation. They are making decisions for THEIR business. They aren't telling you not to look at sleeze. They are just choosing what THEY will include on THEIR platform. If you don't like it you can find it elsewhere. It's called FREE MARKET.