Joke License App Gets Pulled, Senator Celebrates

December 14, 2011

It didn't take long for one misinformed and overzealous lawmaker to help get a poor developer's app removed from Apple's store. The app in question, " Driver License," allowed users to create a mock driver's license to entertain and amuse friends. But Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) didn't see the fun in it, and was concerned that it could be used to create a license. Apparently the Senator believed that this program was so sophisticated that a terrorist could download the app and make a fake ID on the fly for some nefarious purpose. So he decided to write Apple's new CEO, Tim Cook, and complain about how dangerous this app is.

Apple has apparently complied with the Senator’s request and has yanked the app from the Apple Marketplace. The Senator was quite delighted, issuing the following statement:

"I urged Apple to take the responsible step of removing this dangerous app, and I'm pleased that the app is no longer available in the store... As Pennsylvania and states across the country deal with the rising problem of identity theft, tools that facilitate breaking the law should not be available to potential criminals."

Lawmakers probably love how easy it has been to get Apple to comply with their complaints about any app that they deem unsafe for the public. No doubt they will go to that well until its dry.

PC Magazine has the other side of the story after speaking with DriversEd.com's founder and chief operating officer Gary Tsifrin. He said that the concerns of Casey and the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License and the group that also signed the letter sent to Apple - were unfounded. The app was meant to promote the site's Driver's Education test preparation services. As he points out, the license made by the program is of a low resolution, uses different fonts, and includes "MOCK" right on its face. More importantly, he says that the app has been on the App Store for TWO YEARS…

Source:

TechDirt

Comments

Re: Joke License App Gets Pulled, Senator Celebrates

Submitted by Craig R. on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 17:44.

Senator Bob Casey needs to resign his seat, effectively immediately.

With all that is going on in this country and how our 'leaders' are trying to destroy it, this jackass has the time to do this!?

Re: Joke License App Gets Pulled, Senator Celebrates

Submitted by Neo_DrKefka on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 19:12.

I love it when GamePolitics gets a story about a Republican and mentions well they are a Republican or have the (R) but here you have a Democrat Robert P. Casey Jr and I see no (D) sign or not mention to his connection to the Democratic Party so I guess this lets people who do not go and look him up and figure he might be a Republican

Exception seems to be here when a Democrat does something good it seems the (D) is blastered all over the place....why not here?

Re: Joke License App Gets Pulled, Senator Celebrates

Submitted by Neeneko on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 00:13.

I think this pattern is all in your head.  GP has put a (D) next to plenty of democratic stories that are negative. 

Re: Joke License App Gets Pulled, Senator Celebrates

Submitted by Andrew Eisen on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 20:01.

Went ahead and notified GP who added the "(D-PA)."  Hope you can sleep at night now.

By the way, your conspiracy theory is baseless and insulting.  Kindly knock it off.

 

Andrew Eisen

Re: Joke License App Gets Pulled, Senator Celebrates

Submitted by DorthLous on Thu, 12/15/2011 - 08:52.

Bah, he's one of the regular crazies of this site... They're our little Jackies :)

Re: Joke License App Gets Pulled, Senator Celebrates

Submitted by Neeneko on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 19:10.

Ah.. when that pesky first ammdenement stops you from taking action, pressure a private company to do it for you....

 
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