Iceblock has not said his last word. On Thursday, Apple eliminated several mobile applications from its App Store, including the famous iceblock, which allowed anonymous denouncing the presence of American immigration and control service agents (ICE). These applications had gained popularity in recent months, as the mass expulsion policy led by Donald Trump intensified.
The elimination of applications is produced after a request from the Department of Justice, presented by the Attorney General Pam Bondi, who considered that these tools endangered the safety of ICE agents. Apple justified this decision by citing information provided by the authorities about the risks associated with the use of these applications.
Despite the elimination of the App Store, Iceblock is still usable for those who already downloaded it.
For their part, Trump administration officials have criticized these requests hard, saying that they encouraged attacks against their agents. A report linked the use of these tools with an attack on an ICE installation in Dallas that caused several deaths.
“A capitulation before an authoritarian regime”
Joshua Aaron, creator of Iceblock, strongly denounces what he describes as “capitulation before an authoritarian regime.” It defends its application by stating that it is protected by the first amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression. According to him, Iceblock was never aimed at damaging, but instead protecting “vulnerable communities.”
Joshua Aaron says that the goal was to help people avoid controls, comparing their application with collaborative reports tools such as Waze. He says he remains determined to assert these principles against government pressure.
Aaron also sent to 404 APPLE email explaining the elimination of iceblock. The Apple firm indicates that the application does not respect its rules, particularly the section on “objectable content”. This prohibits the defamatory or malicious content against specific groups.
Apple specifies that, according to the authorities, Iceblock violates the “Directive 1.1.1” because it provides the location of agents, which could damage their individual or collective safety.
Source: BFM TV
