Apple pulls dating app for the unvaccinated from its app store

Apple has removed “Unjected,” a dating and “social” app exclusively for the unvaccinated, from its App Store for “inappropriately referring to” the pandemic, and violating its Covid-19 guidelines. The tech giant ousted the app after being contacted by a Bloomberg reporter for a story about it, according to the publication.

The app, which was created by two women in Hawaii, markets itself as a digital space for “like-minded people that support medical autonomy and free speech.” It initially functioned as a dating and socialising app but recently launched a social feed, which prompted a review from Google Play.

Google then concluded they weren’t monitoring the user-generated content for misinformation, as required, and flagging posts that claimed vaccines were “experimental mRNA gene modifiers,” “bioweapons” and “nano-technology microchips” used to connect people to 5G, Unjected they had two weeks to remove the fraudulent allegations, or it would be taken down.

“We’ve had to walk a censorship tightrope,” Unjected co-founder Shelby Thomson told Bloomberg. Thomson has since removed the social feed, though matches, chat rooms and directory of “unvaxxed friendly” businesses remain. Still, she hopes to reinstate the social feed soon.  “We’re not trying to be harmful to society. We just want to exercise our freedom of choice,” she said.

Apple removed Unjected from its app store shortly afterwards.

After being contacted by Bloomberg News for a story regarding the app, Apple notified Unjected that it “inappropriately refers to the Covid-19 pandemic in its concept or theme.” Apple had actually rejected the app upon its initial review, only approving it after mandated modifications in compliance with Apple’s Covid-19 policies were put in place.

Since then, however, ”the developer has made statements externally to its users as well as updates to the app that once again bring it out of compliance,” Apple explained, adding that Unjected advised its users to bypass detection by refraining from using terms like “vaccine,” “jabbed,” and “microchip. “This a violation of our guidelines, which make it clear: ‘If you attempt to cheat the system…your apps will be removed from the store.’”

Apple necessitates that all apps associated with Covid-19 present credible health and safety information from reputable entities, including government organisations, health-focused NGOs, companies “deeply credentialed in health issues,” and/or medical or educational institutions, according to the developer site.

On Saturday, Thomson took to Instagram to address Unjected being booted from the app stores. ”Apparently, we’re considered ‘too much’ for sharing our medical autonomy and freedom of choice,” she said in a video, though the account has since been deleted. “So, of course, Apple removed us.” The Unjected website appears to be offline, as well, though the app remains on the Google Play store.

When contacted for comment, Thomson told indy100 that she “believe[s] that the the banning was an unjust attempt at censorship.”

“We are a respectful movement of people who support their medical autonomy and freedom of choice. The policy’s [sic] go against our first amendment rights,” she said, also confirming that the Unjected website had been taken down. “We also had our page deleted at 25k on Instagram...due to the censorship.” Thomson has since created a new Instagram account for the app.