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Comment by yeldarb | Hacker News Reader

Illegal and "disputed legality" are two entirely different beasts. If the legality is disputed that is for a court to decide, not Apple.

In regard to China specifically they explicitly said last week that it is still legal for private Chinese citizens to use Bitcoin.

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Apple isn't deciding the legality, they're refusing to allow something of "disputed legality" into the store they run.

Would you be mad at Walmart for not selling a new supplement that was of "disputed legality"?

I find Walmart's decision not to carry music with explicit lyrics similarly tiresome to Apple's quest to defend their users from installing things.

(But both issues are easily sidestepped so I don't care very much...)

Reddit has content that is clearly, unambiguously, illegal in the UK.

There are apps to access Reddit in the app store.

What like cyberbullying? Genuinely curious.

Reddit has a pro-suicide sub reddit. It is illegal for people in England to aid someone who is attempting suicide.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/9-10/60

> Criminal liability for complicity in another’s suicide.

> (1)A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another, or an attempt by another to commit suicide, shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

This law is mostly used to prevent more active assistance in suicide, but it is also used to prevent people giving advice about how to complete suicide.

So, that's one current sub reddit.

In the past there were jailbait subreddits. I never visited so I have no idea about the content, but English law is stricter than US law around images of people under the age of 18.

I only knew there was the /r/jailbait that got removed. A pro-suicide forum is an unsavory thing. Thanks for clarifying.

Pro-suicide is tame compared to many of the subreddits out there. If you're curious, do NOT click the links in this collection but rather read the reactions of people who did. (I am serious).

http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1qa5ff/what_is_th...

Apple can decide whatever it wants, especially if it's protecting themselves from being named in a multi-million dollar lawsuit.

Which is exactly the problem here and the reason this headline is getting so much attention.

Sure. But they should do it transparently. Come out and say "our legal team thinks your app opens us up to the risk of a lawsuit."

Not "Your app is illegal somewhere," when this claim is dubious at best.

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