WikiLeaks app pulled by Apple

Apple has blocked the sale of an app that provided easy access to classified government documents posted on WikiLeaks.

The WikiLeaks App created by Igor Barinov was removed from the iTunes app store on Dec. 20, three days after it was put up for sale a cost of $1.99 US, Barinov reported via Twitter.

According to Barinov, Apple said the app violated developer guidelines that stated the company would reject any app that:

• Is "defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to place the targeted individual in harm's way."
• Does not comply with "all legal requirements in any location where [it is] made available to users."

Apple confirmed this information in a statement emailed to CBC News.

Barinov planned to donate $1 from each sale of his app to WikiLeaks. Before the app was removed from iTunes, it had been downloaded 4,434 times, generating $4,434 US for WikiLeaks, Barinov wrote on Twitter.

Apple keeps 30 per cent of the money from each sale (60 cents US in this case) while the remaining 70 per cent ($1.40 US in this case) goes to the developer.

Apple is the latest company to sever any apparent links to WikiLeaks since the website started publishing more than 250,000 leaked U.S. embassy cables, or confidential diplomatic messages.

Visa, MasterCard and PayPal all stopped allowing donations to the WikiLeaks site through their payment systems, while Amazon's stopped hosting the site.

They were subsequently hit by cyber attacks. Those who claimed responsibility said they were WikiLeaks supporters and called the attacks payback for the companies' actions against WikiLeaks.