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Comment by cptaj | Hacker News Reader

This keeps happening again and again in all online marketplaces. Be it amazon, ebay, app stores, etc.

This NEEDS to be regulated. If thousands of companies make a living in your marketplace, you simply can't be allowed to take destructive unilateral action against their business without due process.

One guy reviewing tickets in a random location worldwide, working for minimum wage, takes a 30 second look at your case and closes down your account. Your company loses millions and goes out of business before any dispute even gets processed (If they even have a dispute system)

This is simply an insane way of doing business.

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Apple is regulating, they are regulating a set of things the app developer was deliberately doing that were hostile to users:

"Within 10 days, we updated each of the six applications: removed all rating requests, revised all payment screens in line with Apple's recommendations, added Intercom for swift user assistance, established a help center with articles on canceling trials, requesting refunds, and implemented subscription management directly within the applications."

> This is simply an insane way of doing business.

Then don't? Apple clearly lays out the rules beforehand?

I don’t see how "being able to sell software on the platform a company allows you to sell on yet not following the platform creator's rules" should be a human right?

If you don't want to take the risk of Apple disapproving you selling your software on their platform, maybe don't start a business depending on Apple not doing so?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_antitrust_law

Having a warranty or a return policy is not a human right either, yet companies are obligated by law to do it (at least here in Europe) because otherwise companies would just say "you knew what you were getting when you bought it" and not give a damn as long as they profit from it, just like apple is doing here.

You can only claim the warranty if you follow rules, such as: You didn’t willingly break the item. Violating this rule weaves the right to return the item (and getting your money back).

So why should Apple be forced to keep you on their platform if you willingly break their rules?

They're not forced, but you should have a chance to defend yourself before they unilaterally take away your livelihood.

Mistakes DO happen, yknow?

Also, why are they freezing funds when banks cant do that? Seems illogical.

I get your point but I think you're being too simplistic and also focusing on this particular case when I was talking about broad industry practices.

Some marketplaces are so big that not participating is simply not an option. Do you want to break them up instead?

I think they should be treated as utilities after a certain size and have a suitable legal framework to solve these issues.

Lots of things in commerce are not human rights but are regulated to prevent bad outcomes for society.

Is due process really that much to ask for? Shouldn't you be allowed to defend yourself BEFORE they take away your livelihood? Why is apple allowed to unilaterally freeze your funds but banks are very notoriously not allowed to do that? Why does paypal also freeze your assets without any regulation? This happens all over the place and I think it shouldn't.

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