Tell Apple to Block App That Facilitates Child Sex Trafficking

Tell Apple to Block App That Facilitates Child Sex Trafficking

Started
October 6, 2010
Petition to
Founder and President Steve Jobs and 2 others
Petition Closed
This petition had 1,527 supporters

Why this petition matters

Started by Amanda Kloer

A new iPhone app has the potential to facilitate the sex trafficking of thousands of children. PinPointsX began directly marketing their product to all those men who have been stumped for where to buy sex online since Craigslist shut down. The app itself is basically a listing of adult ads displayed on a GPS-enabled map. But while the technology may not be revolutionary, the potential for pimps to use PinPointsX to sell trafficked women and children is. With PinPointX, pimps can advertise and sell girls with absolutely no barriers or traceability. They don't have to risk using an IP address to post on a static website, they can continuously move their "product" around while simultaneously advertising them, and, unsurprisingly, the PinPointsX company has put exactly zero safeguards in place to prevent the use of their product for exploitation. Smart phone are already making it easier and cheaper for pimps to profit from selling trafficked girls and women. And the PinPointsX app will likely accelerate that process.

PinPointsX is different from other location-based apps like Grindr and Foursquare because it facilitates and advertises for commercial sex -- specifically in the mode that pimps and traffickers most often use to operate. It's cheap, mobile, untraceable, anonymous, and available to a vast market of cell phone users. If left unchecked, it could give pimps the ability to sell thousands more girls and women.

Thus far Steve Jobs and Apple have done a great job of making sure their company isn't facilitating human rights violations. They do unannounced factory audits and report and remove any child or forced labor problems immediately.  And earlier this year, Jobs declared the iLine of iProducts a hardcore porn-free zone.

Ask Steve Jobs to continue Apple's commitments to protecting human rights and children by blocking the PinPointsX app and any other location-based apps which encourage the buying and selling of girls and women for sex.

Petition Closed

This petition had 1,527 supporters

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Decision Makers

  • Steve JobsFounder and President
  • Steve DowlingPublic Relations Director
  • Phillip ShoemakerApp Store Director