Apple and Google "turn off" Unjected, born as a dating app and transformed in a short time in a meeting point for no vax conspiracists.
The world of dating apps has long studied solutions dedicated to the many communities around the globe. There is one, however, born in recent months that is making particularly discussed: it is Unjected and, around it, collects the people of no vax, acting as a meeting place for exchange of information and opinions on anti Covid vaccines.
Realized by two women from Hawaii, the application describes itself as a meeting point for "like-minded people in support of medical autonomy and freedom of speech". So there's a lot more to it than the matters of the heart that originally formed the foundation of this small social with explosive potential. It's been under scrutiny by Apple and Google for its presence in their respective digital stores, and has created quite a few headaches for both tech giants: how do these situations relate to policies regarding the spread of fake news about Covid-19 vaccines?
Unjected, the story
Unjected's emergence dates back to last May, when major dating platforms began using badges and offering benefits to their vaccinated members. Apps such as Tinder, Bumble and OkCupid were among the first to take the lead, inviting users to receive serum administrations.
On the other side of the river, the "Tinder of the no vax", as it has been nicknamed on the net, has begun to gather support until it has seen its total downloads rise to 18,000, an estimate made by marketing company Apptopia. The rest of the web, however, did not stop to watch: on Twitter memes were unleashed, making a mockery of the particular segment of the public for which the social network was designed.
Unjected, the turn that scares
Although it was born with a different purpose, Unjected has quickly become a social feed for those who oppose the use of serums to combat some serious diseases, like the coronavirus pandemic that still rages among the world population. And it was this turn that triggered the alarm of Mountain View.
It all started from a review of the policy of Google Play Store after an update of the application. Big G found a lack of control over user-created content that was contrary to the misinformation policy. Among the posts, claims about "experimental mRNA gene modifiers," "nanotech microchips" and "biological weapons" in vaccines were detected, with the ultimate goal of connecting vaccination recipients to the 5G network.
To remain on Google Play, a request was made to remove such publications, an operation carried out by Unjected's headquarters, which, however, stressed that it had fallen into the grip of censorship. Now Unjected's app for Android is still present on the Play Store, but it can't be installed anymore.
Cupertino's choice was different: after a discussion with Bloomberg News, it removed the app, considering it an unreliable source of information. In addition to this, there was an unwelcome move at the Apple: the invitation not to use trigger words capable of starting the investigations, a decision that cost Unjected dearly.
In the meantime, on Instagram the main account has already collected 25 thousand followers in the name of freedom of expression. Soon the situation could change, given the bill proposed by Senator Amy Klobuchar that would make platforms including Facebook and Twitter legally responsible for fake news spread through their pages. What will happen? Only time will tell.