By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2011-03-25 18:32:02 | Word Count: 664
Well, Apple, it seems now we have one application down and another to go. Hopefully, a trend hasn’t been started here, but who knows, maybe it’s necessary. As of today, Apple has officially removed the “Gay Cure” iPhone app from the Apple store and rightfully so. For those of you that may be unaware, the “gay cure” application was created by Exodus International and sought to “provide support for individuals who want to recover from homosexuality.” The public was outraged, to say the very least, with such an application being offered on the Apple platform. The public was so outraged, in fact, that a petition circulated (and eventually accumulated 146,000 signatures) to have the application removed from the app store. The petition did not fall on blind eyes as Apple recently listened to the people and rendered the offensive application unavailable.
Well, it seems the war is yet to be over, Apple, as Senators have now joined forced to have the newly controversial PhantomAlert application be removed from the Apple store, as well. According to four U.S. Senators, namely democrats Chuck Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, Tom Udall and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this application would assist motorist that have been drinking in avoiding DUI checkpoints. Yesterday these Senators issued a letter to Apple’s senior vice president of iPhone Software, Scott Forstall, urging the company to acknowledge the potential danger that this apps poses on families, drivers, and bystanders. “We appreciate the technology that has allowed millions of Americans to have information at their fingertips, but giving drunk drivers a free tool to evade checkpoints, putting innocent families and children at risk, is a matter of public concern,” stated the letter.
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The request for the removal of this application comes as no surprise to most as the argument presented by the Senators is indeed a valid one. Why allow drunk drivers the opportunity to avoid a checkpoint that could potentially save the life of the drunk driver and those around them? In running the risk of sounding insensitive to the Senators request (as the request is completely within merit) I am inclined to ask one question: if a driver is, in fact, drunk, would they be able to effectively load and utilize the application to avoid a DUI checkpoint? I’m just curious, really.
The Senators must also recognize that the PhantomAlert application does a lot more than just alert potentially drunk drivers of DUI checkpoints it also informs drivers of accidents, school zones, traffic cameras, railroad tracks, speed bumps, and dangerous curves and intersections. Knowing these road hazards ahead of time can be quite helpful. Is it worth risking it all for one frowned upon aspect of the application?
According to PhantomAlert CEO Joe Scott, “I think this is a knee-jerk reaction. PhantomALERT is a 100% legal service. If they really understood what we are doing and aim to achieve they would actually support us.” Maybe he’s right. Maybe these Senators are neglecting the benefits of the application or maybe it’s, in fact, Joe Scott who’s neglecting the applications hazardous nature. I’m kind of on the fence with this one. What do you think?
