‘Amphetamine’ app to stay in Apple App Store after being bizarrely accused of promoting illegal drugs

(Myriam Zilles )

Apple told a Mac developer that their software violated the company’s App Store Guidelines due to a drug reference in its name - despite having been on the store for six years and actively promoted by Apple itself.

Apple reversed its decision only a few days later.

William C. Gustafson, the developer behind the Amphetamine app (which allows Mac computers to avoid going into sleep mode) said he received a call from Apple asking him to remove the application.

“Apple called me a few days ago and informed me that I have 2 weeks to completely remove all references to the word “amphetamine” and remove the pill from the icon, else Apple will remove Amphetamine from the Mac App Store on 1/12/21”, Gustafson claimed on Reddit.

Such an alert was strange as the free Amphetamine app had been featured by Apple in a Mac App Store Story , and had been downloaded nearly half a million times prior to Apple’s message.

Apple’s App Store guidelines state that: Apps that encourage consumption of tobacco or vape products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol are not permitted on the App Store. Apps that encourage minors to consume any of these substances will be rejected. Facilitating the sale of marijuana, tobacco, or controlled substances (except for licensed pharmacies) isn’t allowed.”

On Github, Gustafson said that he believed the app did not violate such guidelines.

“It is my belief that Amphetamine is not in violation of any of Apple's Guidelines. It is also my belief that there are a lot of people out there who feel the same way as me, and want to see Amphetamine.app continue to flourish without a complete re-branding,” he wrote, arguing that the substance amphetamine can be legally used and prescribed and that the word or brand itself does not form or facilitate the sale of controlled substances.

“I specifically asked Apple on the phone if this was a result of customer complaints and Apple’s response was ‘I don’t think so,’” Gustafson also told The Verge. 

“I found it odd that this issue came up out of nowhere. I wasn’t in the middle of trying to update Amphetamine or anything. Just sitting at home with my kids enjoying our holiday and got the violation/rejection email from Apple.”

The smartphone giant contacted Gustafson on 29 December 2020, but by 2 January 2021 Apple had reconsidered its decision.

“Just got off a call with @Apple. Appeal accepted and Amphetamine will remain on the @AppStore”, Gustafson tweeted.

“Thank you all for your comments, opinions, and action. We may not all agree, but I am happy we all still have the freedom to express ourselves today.”

Apple did not respond to multiple requests for more information about its decision process from The Independent before publication.

David Heinemeier Hansson, founder and CTO at Basecamp, pointed out on Twitter that Apple had previously given the videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas an “Editor’s Choice” award despite the game’s questionable promotion of drug use and other crimes.

Other developers that have previously spoken out about Apple’s tactics with regards to its walled-garden App Stores criticised the company’s decision.

The company is still fighting a coalition of app developers which includes Spotify, Protonmail, and the Fortnite publisher Epic Games over Apple’s decisions regarding in-app purchases.