Just a day after Apple removed the controversial ICEBlock app, Google has followed suit, removing similar apps from its Play Store. These apps, which allowed users to report the location of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, have been under intense scrutiny following a recent shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas.
Google told Engadget that it removed the apps for violating its policies, specifically those that prohibit sharing the location of a vulnerable group, especially after a violent act. The company also stated that the apps failed to moderate user-generated content properly. Unlike Apple, which acted after a direct request from the Attorney General, Google says it did not receive a similar request and appears to be acting on its own.
One of the apps removed by both companies was Red Dot. The app’s developers claim they “never track ICE agents” and that they “categorically reject harassment, interference, or harm toward ICE agents.” They say their app aggregates verified reports from trusted sources to show where ICE activity is happening. Despite these claims, the app is no longer available on either app store.
The crackdown on these apps began after an FBI agent revealed that the shooter in the Dallas ICE facility attack “had been following apps that track the location of ICE agents.” The incident, which left one detainee dead and two injured, put a bright spotlight on these apps and led to immediate calls for their removal.
