Damus Founder Expects the Platform to Be Removed from the Apple App Store
Apple (AAPL) is expected to remove Damus, a Twitter-like application popular with bitcoiners, from the App Store on Tuesday. The app reportedly violated the company’s policy on in-app purchases. William Casarin of Damus and the tweeter who announced this decision on Monday, confirmed it in an interview.
Damus is a decentralized social media platform using the Nostr protocol. This protocol is popular with bitcoiners because it supports payments over the blockchain’s Lightning Network. (Nostr stands for “notes and other things relayed”.)
The app was released on the App Store earlier this year. On June 13, it was threatened with removal because of “Zaps.” This special Damus feature allows users to send small amounts (BTC) of Bitcoin as tips to their favorite content creators via the Lightning Network. It’s similar to Twitter’s “Tips” feature. Lightning is Bitcoin’s secondary payment network, enabling faster and cheaper transactions.
Apple informed that “Two weeks ago we found a feature in the Damus application that allows users to assign digital content tips in the App Store Review Guidelines 3.1.1 & 3.2.1 (vii). send”.
Casarin stated that Apple wants the Zap buttons to be removed from all content or “Notes”. This configuration is considered by Apple to be tantamount to selling digital content. However, a Zap icon in user profiles was acceptable.
Casarin said: “I had a conversation with Apple. They told me they didn’t want to use Zaps to sell.” “I figured a compromise we could make is to remove the note-zapping feature.”
He claimed the Damus UI changed it so that the Zap button would still show up on the notes, but they wouldn’t link to the notes. They would only be processed and sent at the profile level. Casarin claims Apple wasn’t happy with its compromise.
Casarin stated, “I’ve robbed users of the ability to view Zaps for the past two weeks.” “I resubmitted the form and they gave me the exact same response.”
Apple confirmed that it Casarin commissioned and clearly explained to him how to solve the problem.
Apple stated, “As Apple had previously informed this developer, they should fix the issues we described in their next update.” Apple stated, “We determined that the issues were not resolved when we received their last submission , and therefore rejected their app.”
Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, seemed to be one of those who criticized Apple’s move. He argued that “tips don’t unlock content”. He tweeted earlier this month that Apple’s decision to shut down Damus would limit Bitcoin adoption and undermine the “only chance to build a truly international payment protocol for the internet.”
Dorsey contributed millions to the development of the protocol. Today he is CEO at Block (SQ), a financial services company specializing in Bitcoin.
Apple has not confirmed whether this upcoming removal is a bug or part of a general crackdown on certain bitcoin-focused apps. Apple rejected a new version of Zeus’ non-custodial Lightning Bitcoin wallet on June 14, but approved it the following day.
Apple stated that “we review all apps against the same set of guidelines aimed at protecting consumers and providing developers with a level playing field and a fair environment.”
Casarin, among others, criticized the company’s approval process as ” opaque”.
Casarin said it’s frustrating to get feedback from Apple reviewers who don’t tell you how bad you are. It’s frustrating. “I think a lot of bitcoin apps are in jeopardy.”
