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Mark Cuban says Apple should remove Twitter from its App Store for violating policy

Saqib Shah
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mark cuban twitter apple
Outspoken entrepreneur Mark Cuban took to Twitter this morning to proclaim that Apple should ban the social network from its App Store.

Cuban, who obviously has no objections with using Twitter himself, asked why Apple hasn’t removed Twitter from its App Store despite the platform violating its UGC and Personal Attack terms. The first tweet in Cuban’s tweetstorm included a screenshot of Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines, reports CNN Money.

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1) So how come Apple hasn't removed twitter from their app store for violating the UGC & Personal Attack terms ? pic.twitter.com/dXClFu0cmC

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) December 10, 2015

It seems that the Dallas Mavericks owner was referring to clause 14.3 in the “Personal attacks” section that calls for a “filter” to be placed on “objectionable material.” The remainder of the clause regarding “a mechanism for users to flag offensive content, and the ability to block abusive users” already exists on Twitter.

Cuban continued by tweeting that removing Twitter from the App Store for a temporary period will force it to “solve…all objectionable…content issues.” As evidence, he made reference to Instagram’s ability to block nudity on its app. He concluded by questioning Apple’s handling of Twitter in particular.

3) Instagram can prevent the scourge of naked breasts to keep their place in the app stores. I'm sure twitter can find solutions as well

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) December 10, 2015

4) Apple has no problem threatening other apps with removal as well. Why not Twitter ?

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) December 10, 2015

In an effort to seek clarification, CNN Money reached out to Cuban to ask whether his concerns were over ISIS-related accounts, to which he did not respond.

The issue of terrorism-related content did pop up in a short-lived tweet-off between Cuban and Twitter investor, Chris Sacca. In the wake of Cuban’s allegations, Sacca proclaimed the Shark Tank panel member a “freedom” hater and Donald Trump’s future running mate. Cuban responded by stating that Sacca was proving his “troll point.” He later added: “Twitter could be more transparent,” and that he would feel better “knowing terrorist UGC is down in 24 hours.” In Twitter’s defense, Sacca claimed that the service was not the “author of objectionable content” and that it provides “multiple paths for removal of it.”

@mcuban Meantime, I'll point out that Twitter has even stronger policies than Apple's in this realm: https://t.co/46y1C5oaWD

— Chris Sacca (@sacca) December 10, 2015

Twitter has continuously been targeted in regard to the posting of “terrorist content” on the network. As the war against ISIS has escalated, western countries have approached the likes of Twitter and Facebook to remove terrorist rhetoric and combat the spread of radicalization online.

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