Apple yanks Wikileaks app from iTunes, offers no explanation

An unofficial paid Wikileaks app has been removed by Apple from the iTunes store, but no reason for the axing was cited.

The app aggregated both “leaks” and Twitter updates to iPhones and iPod Touches, as described in its iPhone listing:

“The Wikileaks app gives instant access to the world’s most documented leakage of top secret memos and other confidential government documents.”

The app was ostensibly approved by Apple and hit on December 17th. It cost $1.99, and half the app’s proceeds were said to be marked to support Wikileaks. The Wikileaks app’s developer says the app was removed “without reasons” per a standard message received by Apple, and a message received by the developer indeed states just that the status of the app “has changed to ‘Removed from Site.””

Although official word on why the app has disappeared is lacking, speculation on the reasons behind the removal of the Wikileaks app is rife. The Guardian says:

The main Wikileaks.ch site is back online now and accessible in the US. But what the app provided was an interface that provided access to the content combined with a way to make a donation. Making donations has become much more convoluted since PayPal, Mastercard and Visawithdrew services. Amazon also cut off Wikileaks by terminating its hosting agreement (it would be interesting to see what else is still hosted by them?) – giving the impression that this is an orchestrated campaign rather than a series of independent business-focused decisions.

The app was available for five days before it got the boot.