Blacklisted Apps Persist on App Store Despite U.S. Sanctions
In a recent investigation, it has been revealed that over 50 applications remained accessible on both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, even after the U.S. government imposed sanctions on their developers. This situation raises significant concerns about the effectiveness of app store oversight and compliance with international regulations.
Historically, Apple has faced scrutiny for hosting applications developed by entities listed on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. Notably, in 2019, Apple was fined for such violations, and similar accusations resurfaced in 2021. Despite these incidents, the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a non-profit watchdog organization, has identified that both Apple and Google have continued to host blacklisted applications.
The TTP’s findings indicate that some developers circumvented sanctions by making minimal changes to their names, such as adding OOO, the Russian abbreviation for a corporation. This tactic allowed them to evade detection and continue distributing their applications. Katie Paul, Director of TTP, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, Apple and Google promise their users a safe and trusted place to find applications for their devices, but both companies’ failure to identify clearly sanctioned entities raises questions about how these companies vet the apps in their stores.
In response to these revelations, Google has reportedly removed all but one of the identified applications from its platform. However, the persistence of such apps on major app stores underscores the challenges tech companies face in enforcing compliance with international sanctions and maintaining the integrity of their platforms.
