Key Points
- Apple has removed a second app, Eyes Up, that tracks ICE arrests.
- The app’s main purpose was to create a video archive for government accountability.
- Apple stated that the app was removed due to “objectionable content” and because it could be used to harm law enforcement.
- This follows the removal of another ICE-tracking app, ICEBlock, which was removed last week.
Apple has removed another app from its App Store that deals with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests. The app, called Eyes Up, collects and archives videos of ICE arrests and plots them on a map. Its removal comes just a week after Apple pulled a similar app, ICEBlock, which was designed to provide real-time alerts of ICE activity.
Unlike ICEBlock, Eyes Up is not a real-time tracking tool. Its main purpose is to create a public archive of ICE arrests, which its creators say is for “government accountability.” The videos could potentially be used in court to challenge possible ICE misconduct. The app remains available on the web and in the Google Play Store for the time being.
Apple told the app’s creators it was removed for violating its policy against “objectionable content.” The company also stated that it had received information from law enforcement indicating that the app could be used to harm officers. This is the same reason Apple gave for removing ICEBlock, a move that reportedly came after a direct request from the U.S. Attorney General.
The fact that Apple has now removed both apps, even though Eyes Up is not a real-time alert system, suggests the company is taking a broader approach to banning any app that provides location information about ICE activity.
Google has also been removing similar apps from its Play Store, citing policies against sharing the location of “vulnerable groups.”
