TORONTO – Photo-sharing startup 500px’s iOS app has been removed from Apple’s App Store due to concerns over the application’s search features, which would allow users to search for nude photos.
According to 500px co-founder and COO Evgeny Tchebotarev, the Toronto-based company received a call from Apple saying the app update, which was under review by Apple, had been rejected due to concerns that nude photos were too easy to search – but noted that the current version of the 500px app would still be available.
An hour later they received an email stating that the app would be removed from the App Store said Tchebotarev.
The app, which has just over one million downloads, was pulled from the App Store altogether around 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday.
“It’s a free app, so we aren’t losing any money, but we aren’t giving people that experience of using the application.”
Though the app is no longer available to download through the App Store, users who already had the application downloaded to their devices are not affected.
500px, a photography application that allows users to share photos, does allow “artistically nude photographs” in their community; however, users have to specifically search for nudity in order to come across them.
“Every new account gets the safe experience. But as with most apps you have the option to search for nude photos.”
Tchebotarev said that a fix for the application’s search feature is being created and should be submitted to Apple for review by Tuesday evening.
“Our goal is to reach out to Apple and try to get the app back in the store as soon as possible,” said Tchebotarev, who noted that the company’s goal is to have a good working relationship with Apple.
UPDATE:
Apple contacted Global News with a statement late Tuesday regarding the removal of the 500px app from the App Store.
“The app was removed from the App Store for featuring pornographic images and material, a clear violation of our guidelines. We also received customer complaints about possible child pornography. We’ve asked the developer to put safe guards in place to prevent pornographic images and material in their app,” said Apple in a statement.
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