Apple Changes App Acceptance Policy, Ditches ‘DUI Checkpoint’ Apps

Apple has changed the wording in their App Store Review Guidelines so they can deny access to DUI Checkpoint apps which allow drunk drivers to learn where police are currently stationed, thus avoiding those areas while drunk driving.

The tech firm agreed to the changes after four Democratic U.S. senators sent a letter to Apple in early 2011 asking them to remove apps that provide, “a database of DUI [driving under the influence] checkpoints updated in real-time”.

Under Section 22.8 of the companies review guidelines:

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.

It should be noted that the new wording does not target speed traps, red light notices, speed cameras, accident reports and other traffic conditions, many of which have also been targeted by lawmakers.

Now someone just needs to create a “Speed Trap” app that allows users to post where “speed traps” can be found. Perhaps Apple should think about revising their new app acceptance wording again.