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Apple takes a firm stance against apps that reward social sharing

A number of app developers have seen their apps rejected because they provided incentives for people to share their apps on Facebook, or watch videos advertising other apps.

ANYONE WHO KNOWS the pain of having to watch a video in a game just for some in-game credits, such days could be a thing of the past on iOS.

Apple has begun to crack down on apps that offer rewards to users for watching videos or for social sharing. This could mean the possibility of receiving numerous invites for games on the site could be a less frequent occurrence.

According to TechCrunch, a number of app developers have received rejection notices from Apple’s review team, stating their apps are encouraging users to share to Facebook and other sites to gain in-game rewards.

Alongside that, Apple is also rejecting apps that promote other apps. In the case of one developer, he released his app four times previously, and the update was only a “reskin” that changed the graphics.

His app was rejected for promoting apps that weren’t his own and for offering free in-game credits for watching videos of other apps that weren’t his own.

Apple’s approval process for apps tends to be inconsistent at best, with the company usually being vague about why it rejects apps.

Providing incentives for sharing on Facebook or watching videos to gain credits is a popular tactic for many free to play games, helping them bring new users in and places the app in a higher position in the most downloaded charts, and boost revenue.

Read: PayPal’s president moves to Facebook to run its messaging products >

Read: PS4 helps Sony overtake Nintendo in global console sales >

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15 Comments
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    Mute Quiet Goer
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    Mar 15th 2019, 7:44 AM

    The whole “we can have nukes but you cant” attitude by the US must make it nigh on impossible to achieve anything with these talks

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    Mute Stephen O'Donoghue
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    Mar 15th 2019, 7:53 AM

    @Quiet Goer: That’s the way it should be.

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    Mute Colm Ó hAodhagáin
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    Mar 15th 2019, 8:06 AM

    @Stephen O’Donoghue: ?

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    Mute Jim Buckley Barrett
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    Mar 15th 2019, 8:23 AM

    @Stephen O’Donoghue: the US are quick enough to arm who it likes.

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    Mute Stephen O'Donoghue
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    Mar 15th 2019, 8:49 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: That has feck all to do with Nuclear weapons which can take out the entire world rather than some far away country with pea shooters. That’s a totally ludicrous statement.

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    Mute Billy Nomates
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    Mar 15th 2019, 8:56 AM

    @Stephen O’Donoghue: and a whackjob has the codes.

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    Mute Stephen O'Donoghue
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    Mar 15th 2019, 9:02 AM

    @Billy Nomates: True, but we need to keep the whackjobs down to a minimum

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Mar 15th 2019, 2:11 PM

    @Stephen O’Donoghue: No it’s not. If American wants denuclearisation then they should lead by example.

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    Mute Stephen O'Donoghue
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    Mar 15th 2019, 2:53 PM

    @Rob Cahill: Have you seen how many countries have nuclear weapons? It has to be a joint venture, one isnt going to disarm while others are not.

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    Mute Bridget O'Hanlon
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    Mar 15th 2019, 7:43 PM

    @Stephen O’Donoghue: But the USA thinks that North Korea should unilaterally disarm. Why should they?

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    Mute Diarmuid Moore
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    Mar 15th 2019, 8:15 AM

    The US don’t want a solution to North Korea. They want a ready to start war for when they are finished in the Middle East or when arms sales are slowing down. This is all just a show and a useful distraction for trump when there is embarrassment at home.

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    Mute Shane Dignam
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    Mar 15th 2019, 12:55 PM

    @Diarmuid Moore: Just to clarify, that’s what the NeoCons, Dems and let’s call them deeply embedded career bureaucrats and agents want, not what The President or the people want.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Mar 15th 2019, 9:27 AM

    Trump whinging about May not taking his negotiating advice while forgetting he’s failed miserably with NK, getting the Mexicans to build a wall, building the wall, winning against China.

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    Mute Xanadu Marmalade
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    Mar 15th 2019, 9:33 AM

    Golden opportunity and Trump throws it away, Golden shower on the other hand.

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    Mute Frank Mullen
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    Mar 15th 2019, 1:59 PM

    It’s hard to fault the North Koreans on this…How bad has the US become if Kim & co are sounding reasonable in comparison

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    Mute Shane Dignam
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    Mar 15th 2019, 1:59 PM

    And in other news, Nancy Pelosi wants to lower the voting age to 16 now that the President is trying to bring in Voter I.D. cards. Not too hard to connect the dots on that one. This after passing a resolution in the House for voting rights for illegals earlier in the week. Whatever it takes to stay in power Nancy.

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    Mute emul8ter25
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    Mar 15th 2019, 6:17 PM

    @Shane Dignam: pot calling the kettle black? Didn’t the Irish kick up hell over a potential required government ID?

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    Mute Shane Dignam
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    Mar 15th 2019, 6:37 PM

    @emul8ter25: Irish in America or here at home? Sorry don’t know what you are referring to. All I know is that the US is one of very few developed countries without voter ID and the dems are desperately trying to allow illegals and minors get the vote to cancel out the losses this would bring about.

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    Mute Billy Nomates
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    Mar 16th 2019, 12:02 AM

    Trump should never have given him a stage like that, he doesn’t need it. Trump is backwards and old school in his negotiations like a 80s Real Estate hustler – shower with unlimited praise and affection , get them to commit then knife in the back. Kim isn’t stupid to fall into his trap.

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