I’ve mostly kept this list free of apps that were banned on editorial grounds, because there are too many examples–indeed, entire articles have already been dedicated to the topic–and usually it’s just a matter of Apple cracking down on porn or poor taste. But Molleindustria’s Phone Story is special because it was critical of tech companies and consumer culture. The $1 app highlighted the mining of conflict minerals, brutal factory conditions and planned obsolescence that keeps consumers coming back for more. Deep, man.
Violation: Conspiracy theorists might think Apple just didn’t want to be criticized, but Apple gave a litany of other violated guidelines. Among them: the app depicts abuse of children and “excessively objectionable” content. Apple also accused the developer of violating its policies on donations.
Jailbreak Alternative: None, but the app is available for Android.