Apple removed ‘17’, a live streaming app, from the App Store this morning because of prohibited content. 17 was once at the top of both the U.S.’ and Chinese App Stores as a free app before the removal.
It has been reported that 17 offers too much sex-related content. Screenshots on social media indicate that some users were broadcasting sexual behavior on 17 in realtime with thousands of people onlooking from home. The broadcast of drug use was also a problem for the app.
Co-founder, Huang Licheng, confirmed on Facebook that 17 was removed from the App Store without warning but now claims he is waiting for its restoration. 17 was removed from Google’s Play Store in August.
“We try to ban people before they do illegal things,” Huang said in an earlier interview.
“It’s almost impossible though, because we mostly do live streaming.”
The live streaming app was first introduced in Taiwan in June of this year and soon topped the Apple Store’s free app rankings for many countries including U.S., China, Singapore and Malaysia.
It has over 2.2 million registered users now with daily active users numbering about 700,000 to 900,000, according to Huang. Broadcasters on 17 can share the advertising revenue generated from their live streams.
Live streaming apps are trendy. Periscope, a 17-like live streaming app used by reporters for breaking news, was acquired by Twitter in January this year with USD 86.6 million, before the app formally launched.
The major argument about live streaming apps includes broadcast channels complaining about the unauthorized broadcast of sports games and television programs. Users have also expressed concern over a perceived lack of privacy.