Apple has app that in a difficult position users Hong Kong reportedly banned the release of an has left . The app is called HKMap Live . It is a map that shows various locations and has notifications about the activity of protesters and the location of police vehicles. The app is very useful for protesters as they can track the movements of police officers and avoid encounters with them and all that they entail ( tear gas , clashes, etc.).
Apple has not allowed the app to enter the App Store , meaning iPhone users cannot download and install the map. The app is still available online .
Apple did not accept the app in its app store because it believes it aids, facilitates, and encourages activities that are not legal. Specifically, it helps users evade . law enforcement
Currently, the HKMap Live app is available on the Play Store , so Android device users can use it.
The app's creator said Apple's rejection was more a result of bureaucracy.
The creator tried to allay Apple's concerns about legality, saying that the map shows where police and protesters are. Considering that groups of protesters could cause trouble, using the map to avoid these areas is not considered illegal.
Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests have been ongoing for more than 100 days. More than 1,500 arrests have been made, and violence between protesters and police has reached its peak.
On Tuesday, police reported that protesters threw acid at them, while an 18-year-old protester was shot in the chest and is currently hospitalized in critical condition.
Apple did not comment on its decision to ban the app.
