Apple approves and then removes OG App, an ad-free version of Instagram
Apple is famous for the control exercised on the App Store, however a case of the last few days shows us how even the Cupertino house is not entirely free from errors, especially as regards its application approval process.
The case in question is what it concerns OG Appa Instagram alternative client which was released earlier this week and was suddenly removed from the App Store in the past few hours. OG App has allowed users – literally for a few hours – to live an Instagram experience completely devoid of Meta advertising, enriched by a series of accessory features able to improve the use of the social network, such as the possibility of creating alternative feeds and personalized and much more.
At first, the application did not present any problems with regards to the subject of privacy, since all the management of the account was done through the official API of Instagram and Apple itself did not detect any critical issues in the client being approvedhowever, this was not enough to guarantee him a prolonged stay on the store, given that in the last hours the Cupertino house has completely removed it.
According to an Apple spokesperson to colleagues from 9to5Macit seems that the motivation concerns itself the use of the Meta APIwhich would be integrated in a way not authorized by the terms of service of the colossus of Menlo Park. Curiously, this breach was not detected at first and Apple itself later stated that the use of the API made by OG App may have jeopardized the security and privacy of the accounts that logged into Instagram from the application. .
Meta has also publicly stated that it will take due action against OG App, and that could simply translate into a large series of legal headaches for developers Ansh Nanda and Hardik Patil, who aimed to create an Instagram client where control of the feed was in the hands of the user. Meanwhile, access to the API for OG App has been cut, so even those who had installed it in time will not be able to continue using it.
The aspect that stands out most from this story is undoubtedly Apple’s oversightwho could certainly imagine that an unofficial Instagram client would run into this kind of problem.
