Apple Bans DUI Checkpoint Apps

Wednesday June 8, 2011 1:11 pm PDT by Jordan Golson

Apple has added verbiage to the App Store Review Guidelines banning DUI checkpoint apps. Presumably, the changed guidelines are in response to letters from four Democratic U.S. senators sent to Apple earlier this year. The letters requested Apple remove apps that provide "a database of DUI [driving under the influence] checkpoints updated in real-time". The Senators considered the checkpoint apps "a matter of public concern."

Section 22.8 of the updated App Store Review Guidelines reads:

Apps which contain DUI checkpoints that are not published by law enforcement agencies, or encourage and enable drunk driving, will be rejected.

Some law enforcement agencies publish where DUI checkpoints will be located ahead of time, and these notices have been exempted from the ban.

As we noted when the senators sent their letter, many of the apps in question also offer information on speed traps, red light and speed cameras, accidents, and other traffic conditions, several of which have also been considered controversial. However, the new Guidelines only mention DUI checkpoints.

Top Rated Comments

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theheadguy

25 months ago

I am all for free speech, but this is a reasonable limitation. If it saves a single life, it is worth it.

Rating: 39 Positives

Aduntu

25 months ago

What a joke.

You'd likely change your mind if you suffered the loss of a loved one as the result of drunk driving.

Rating: 38 Positives

barberio

25 months ago

Maybe according to you, but to me it's absolutely demented. I personally use apps like this so I can avoid checkpoints, not because I drive drunk, but so I can break Michigan's retarded 10pm curfew for teen drivers. I'll be sure to not update Trapster in the near future. This is just another attempt by the government and their pigs to control people; shame on Apple for giving in to the government and bs political correctness.

-Don

Ah... Teens. Dumb enough to admit they want an iphone app to help them break the law, but still claim they're just as good drivers as adults.

Rating: 28 Positives

FriarNurgle

25 months ago

Can we ban Facebook and Twitter then? I'm sure people are communicating DUI check points on there too.

Rating: 26 Positives

Dmac77

25 months ago

I am all for free speech, but this is a reasonable limitation. If it saves a single life, it is worth it.

Rating: 26 Positives

starflyer

25 months ago

Stupid. The information that these apps had were given IN ADVANCE by the local police departments!

Why don't these Senetors spend their energy on fixing unemployment and out of control spending.

Rating: 25 Positives

chrono1081

25 months ago

Apple is in a damned if you do damned if you don't position right here. If they don't ban the apps they anger the public and get called irresponsible, if they do ban the app people cry that its censorship.

I think they took the correct route since removing the app hurts no one except drunk drivers.

Rating: 24 Positives

ratzzo

25 months ago

Everyone has to be politically correct nowadays. At the end of the day though, this app will simply appear through Cydia. Does this really promote drunk driving? :/

Rating: 24 Positives

chrono1081

25 months ago

Note that the guidelines only prohibit listing DUI checkpoints that are NOT published by the police force. It would seem this only bans user-reported checkpoint entry...

You actually think most mac rumors users are smart enough to read the article before opening their mouths? :P

Rating: 22 Positives