• Apple Censoring the Word "Jailbreak" in U.S. iTunes Store

    by
    Phillip Swanson
    Published on 2012-05-17 05:29 PM
    32 Comments Comments


    Apple has started censoring the word “jailbreak” in the US iTunes Store. Seriously, go search for any song or album with “jailbreak” in the title and it will come up “j*******k.”

    Notable iOS hacker @planetbeing made the jailbreak censoring observation last night. However, Apple appears to be only censoring the use of the word jailbreak in the US iTunes store. Additionally, not every instance is censored. Thin Lizzy’s classic record Jailbreak has its title censored for the new deluxe edition, but the album’s description contains the word “Jailbreak” uncensored. Also, older versions of the record aren’t censored in any way.

    Other notable/hilarious examples of censorship include an episode of The Roy Rogers show and an episode of the Real World. For those not familiar with The Roy Rogers show, it was a harmless western themed comedy. Definitely worthy of Apple’s censorship.

    Apple’s aversion to the jailbreaking community is well documented. The constant push and pull between the hacking community and Apple is as rewarding for jailbreakers as it is enthralling. But, censoring a harmless word regardless of its context is ludicrous. Censoring the word jailbreak even in the context of “hacking” is reprehensible.

    I guess this means the iOS Hackers Handbook won’t be available in iBooks anytime soon.

    Source: @planetbeing [via MacRumors]
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Apple Censoring the Word "Jailbreak" in U.S. iTunes Store started by Phillip Swanson View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. iPhone,
    3. iPad,
    4. iOS,
    5. Apple,
    6. Mac,
    7. iPad
    Comments 32 Comments
    1. AUZambo's Avatar
      AUZambo - 2012-05-17, 05:32 PM
      That wreaks of paranoia.
    1. McMichael96's Avatar
      McMichael96 - 2012-05-17, 05:43 PM
      You know what, J*******k you!

      -_- they are making it sound like a swear word
    1. The6uest's Avatar
      The6uest - 2012-05-17, 05:51 PM
      That's weird.. They didn't censor the "Jailbreak" or "Jailbreaker" app in the Appstore. Why would they sensor a song?
    1. blindmist's Avatar
      blindmist - 2012-05-17, 05:54 PM
      I guess this means the iOS Hackers Handbook won’t be available in iBooks anytime soon.

      Really? Really?

      This site has gotten worse and worse on the writing.

      iTunes - Books - iOS Hacker's Handbook by Charlie Miller
    1. andrewfblack's Avatar
      andrewfblack - 2012-05-17, 06:02 PM
      They might be censoring the word Jailbreak because it means to break out of Jail/Prison. Maybe its not all about the iOS jailbreakers.
    1. vladpire's Avatar
      vladpire - 2012-05-17, 06:06 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by andrewfblack View Post
      They might be censoring the word Jailbreak because it means to break out of Jail/Prison. Maybe its not all about the iOS jailbreakers.

      yeah, thats probably it, lol....
    1. luvmytj's Avatar
      luvmytj - 2012-05-17, 06:46 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by vladpire View Post
      yeah, thats probably it, lol....
      I agree, now that Apple has censored the word people will think twice before breaking out of jail/prison.
      Thank you Apple, I will sleep soundly tonight!
    1. PokemonDesigner's Avatar
      PokemonDesigner - 2012-05-17, 06:49 PM
      They stopped that. All things with Jailbreak are now written on iTunes again.
    1. iM1sf1t's Avatar
      iM1sf1t - 2012-05-17, 06:52 PM
      Actually last week the iOS Hackers Handbook was available in in iBooks...
    1. PokemonDesigner's Avatar
      PokemonDesigner - 2012-05-17, 07:03 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by iM1sf1t View Post
      Actually last week the iOS Hackers Handbook was available in in iBooks...
      I wish I would have bought it. You can probably find a PDF to use on iBooks. Apple sucks.
    1. steve-z17's Avatar
      steve-z17 - 2012-05-17, 07:12 PM
      Oh no, it's the end of the world............................................. .......................
    1. Imahottguy's Avatar
      Imahottguy - 2012-05-17, 07:13 PM
      In the App Store the word "Jailbreak" or "Jailbreaker" /should/ be censored. Why? Because the people that are naming apps, not games, things like Jailbreak or hack are simply playing on a certain group of people's gullibility to make money. That is no better than when all of those crappy clones were in the top 25, like the Temple Run clone that made a ton of dough because the icon was similar, the description was vague and the screenshot was also vague. It is a slippery slope though, if they censor jailbreak, then why not wifi scanners, network tools, etc. Then why not any utility?

      What doesn't make sense is that the censored items were in the iTunes store, not the App Store, right?
    1. OceanMindedBoy's Avatar
      OceanMindedBoy - 2012-05-17, 07:23 PM
      That's kinda immature of apple to do something like that.
      It's not like it's a bad word in any sense.

      If it is then, j*********k you apple!
    1. regkilla's Avatar
      regkilla - 2012-05-17, 07:37 PM
      new curse word: J*******K
    1. Jahooba's Avatar
      Jahooba - 2012-05-17, 08:12 PM
      This is too funny

      (and a little bit scary)
    1. sziklassy's Avatar
      sziklassy - 2012-05-17, 09:51 PM
      One word: ridiculous.
    1. Raptor2213's Avatar
      Raptor2213 - 2012-05-17, 10:01 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Imahottguy View Post
      In the App Store the word "Jailbreak" or "Jailbreaker" /should/ be censored. Why? Because the people that are naming apps, not games, things like Jailbreak or hack are simply playing on a certain group of people's gullibility to make money. That is no better than when all of those crappy clones were in the top 25, like the Temple Run clone that made a ton of dough because the icon was similar, the description was vague and the screenshot was also vague. It is a slippery slope though, if they censor jailbreak, then why not wifi scanners, network tools, etc. Then why not any utility?

      What doesn't make sense is that the censored items were in the iTunes store, not the App Store, right?
      No, Apple shouldn't have approved those apps to begin with, or should kill them from the app store. Censoring existing items does nothing.
    1. Akademickz's Avatar
      Akademickz - 2012-05-17, 11:15 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by luvmytj View Post
      I agree, now that Apple has censored the word people will think twice before breaking out of jail/prison.
      Thank you Apple, I will sleep soundly tonight!
      Lmfao
    1. Gustavo Saliola's Avatar
      Gustavo Saliola - 2012-05-17, 11:23 PM
      Please Apple! Be seroius. Sounds like a internal employee joke... G*t t*e f**k o*t...
    1. teej1410's Avatar
      teej1410 - 2012-05-17, 11:23 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by sziklassy View Post
      One word: ridiculous.
      Agree. srsly?!?! How is this going to affect the jailbreak community?
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