Update – Apple Pulls BeautyMeter App With Nude 15-Year-Old

BeautyMeterWebNotice update: 1:00 p.m. PST – BeautyMeter developer has posted a message on their site indicating they have cleaned up their database of nude images. They have also increased measures to guard against future user-generated nudity. It also sounds like they identified an individual (via the UUID) and will be taking “further steps” (click image for full view).

Yesterday’s BeautyMeter article resulted in quite the firestorm. Media outlets such as Fox News, Wired, Gizmodo, DownloadSqaud and others, carried the “Nude 15-Year-Old Pictures” story … as well as social media activity from Digg, Twitter and more.

Today at approximately 12:20 a.m. PST (24 hours after we broke the story), Apple removed BeautyMeter from the App Store … however previous downloads are still fully functional – including access to the infamous 15-year-old nude image seen below (image taken at time of writing, at 12:30 a.m. PST).

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It seems yesterday was not the first time BeautyMeter had its “issues”. The app launched January 17 and the developers, Braun Software, began approving user generated nude images for public viewing. Then in mid-April, the devs changed their policy, no more nudity. Of course this caused a huge backlash among the rabid middle-aged perverts as they voiced their displeasure via the App Store User Ratings.

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One month later, the perverted old guys (and comment #113’s wife – see above) rejoiced … BeautyMeter boobs were back!

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We’re not exactly sure why Braun Software banned the once acceptable nudity from their app in mid-April … perhaps it was in preparation of submitting Version 1.6 update for approval (kind of like cleaning up shop before the inspector pays a visit), which was accepted by Apple on April 27. Strange behavior by Braun Software.

So the question remains … does Apple allow nudity in the App Store???

If the answer is NO nudity, then why does Apple make available a 17+ rating specifically stating Frequent/Intense Nudity? … why do apps like TOP100 specifically advertise topless models coming soon?

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If the answer is YES nudity, then why would apps like Hottest Girls and BeautyMeter (sans the 15-year-old naked girl) be banned?

Obviously Apple needs to make a decision on their nudity policy and stick with it … indecisions and inconsistencies in business are an absolute killer. We think Sir Winston Churchill summarizes the current state of Apple the best with his 1939 “quotation”:

I cannot forecast to you the action of Apple.
It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma

July 2, 2009 | Filed Under News, Social | 326 Comments 

Nude 15-Year-Olds In The App Store? Yes There Is

(update: July 2 at 2:00 a.m. PST – click here for details)

AppleiPhoneDRAMAQUEENfinal Last week, a sexy bikini chick app made quite the splash in iPhone App World. The Hottest Girls application made Apple history by becoming the first iPhone app to contain nudity. But that was only the beginning of the iPhone Spice drama, requiring us to cover (no pun intended) the Hottest Girls saga in two articles (article #1 – article #2). In summary … the developer pulled the app due to overwhelming sales, then Apple said bullshit – they actually removed the app, then Apple shut down all the developer’s apps, then the developer closed his web site seemingly hiding from angry paying customers (does Apple refund their money?) … LOL, gotta love Apple drama.

Apple even released a statement via spokesman Tom Neumayer saying … “Apple will not distribute applications that contain inappropriate content, such as pornography.” So life goes on … the App Store went back to being non-nude and porno-free.

But life isn’t simple – many questions remain. TechCrunch ran an excellent article which describes how developers rate their own apps when submitting to Apple for approval. The rating matrix clearly shows that an app can contain Frequent/Intense nudity and still be approved by Apple. So then why did Apple remove the Hottest Girls app with its topless nudity? – the app was rated properly as 17+ … what’s the problem?

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Clearly Apple is completely whack when it comes to their App Ratings and Approvals … LOL at Steve Jobs boasting that the App Store is “Revolutionary” … uh NO dude – considering the thousands of KRAPPS we must avoid to find a decent app, the store is a freaking joke.

Nudity – Shmoodity … you think with Apple’s latest swift actions, the App Store is now “safe” from nudity? Think again! Let us introduce you to our little friend … the BeautyMeter app by German-based Braun Software.

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BeautyMeter is one of those “Do You Think I’m Hot” rating apps, popular among teens and middle-aged male perverts. The user uploads a picture of themselves … the image is broadcasted via the app … other app users rate the picture from Fugly to Hot. Similar apps include Hot Or Not, PhotoKast, YoHottie … but with one BIG difference … BeautyMeter contains NUDITY and this nudity is approved by Braun Software as supposedly they review every image prior to releasing it into the app for public view.

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BeautyMeterNude(3)3   BeautyMeterNude(4)4

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What’s whack about BeautyMeter is that there is no nudity warning in the App Rating … it simply states Mature/Suggestive Themes. Hey Braun Software – Apple provides a convenient nudity rating – use it … freaking dumbasses!

So does Apple allow nudity in the App Store? Well they say they don’t and act all pious banishing topless chick app Hottest Girls … but when you dig a little deeper, there’s been nudity in the App Store for nearly 6 months when BeautyMeter first launched on January 17.

Now let’s play the “Pretend You’re Steve Jobs And Make The Executive Decision” game:

Question #1 – Steve, can we distribute an app in which you could rate a 16-year-old’s body on a scale of 1 to 5?
Your Answer -  WTF kind of a question is that?!? Get away from me you piece of krapp
middle-age male pervert … you’re FIRED!

Bravo … great answer … but guess what – it’s Wrong!

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Question #2 – Steve, can we allow underage completely nude pictures in the App Store?
Your Answer – WTF kind of a question is that?!? Get away from me you piece of krapp
middle-age male pervert … you’re FIRED!

Again – bravo … that’s another great answer … but guess what – it’s Wrong!

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NICE Apple … once again, your Revolutionary App Store never cease to amaze us! And even if Miss United States faked her Age 15 description, why did Braun Software approve the image for public view? And why didn’t Apple respond to the user comment below – seems like a pretty significant claim worthy of at least a quick peak.

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So what’s Apple’s final policy … To Nude or Not To Nude? Yeah, that is the question and it beats the hell out of us. One thing is certain … Apple really needs to slow the heck down with their approval process, implement some serious quality control measures and straight forward policies … because at this point, Apple is making our job way too easy.

July 1, 2009 | Filed Under News, Social | 8,457 Comments