Apple moves to crack down on anonymous chat apps with App Store rule change

Apple App Store

• Apple updates guidelines to allow removal of anonymous chat apps without notice
• Apps for anonymous chat, bullying, or threats may be removed from App Store
• Move addresses safety concerns, gives Apple clearer takedown authority.

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Apple has updated its App Review Guidelines to explicitly allow the removal of random or anonymous chat apps without notice, marking a notable escalation in how the company polices user generated content on the App Store.

The change appears in section 1.2 of Apple’s guidelines, which deals with user generated content and the safety challenges it presents. Apple has long argued that such apps can enable intellectual property violations, harassment, and abuse, and already requires developers to offer content reporting tools and moderation mechanisms.

What is new is the clarity and breadth of Apple’s language.

The updated guidelines now state that apps which are used primarily for pornographic content, Chatroulette style experiences, random or anonymous chat, objectification of real people, physical threats, or bullying “do not belong on the App Store and may be removed without notice.”

Previously, Apple’s rules referenced Chatroulette style experiences, but did not explicitly call out anonymous chat as a category in its own right. That distinction matters. Many modern apps are built entirely around anonymity, often marketed as a feature rather than a risk.

Safety concerns and pressure to protect minors

Apple has not explained why it added this language now, but the timing fits a broader pattern. Last year, both Apple and Google removed OmeTV, an anonymous video chat app, following warnings from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner that such platforms were exposing children to harm.

Anonymous chat apps are especially popular with younger users and have repeatedly been linked to bullying, intimidation, and inappropriate content. From that perspective, Apple’s move looks like an attempt to close loopholes and give reviewers clearer authority to act quickly.

By framing anonymous chat as inherently risky rather than context dependent, Apple removes the need to argue whether moderation tools are good enough. Entire categories can now be deemed unacceptable.

Political context adds another layer

There may also be a political dimension. Anonymous peer to peer messaging apps have been used by protesters in countries including Nepal, Iran, and Uganda. Jack Dorsey’s recent anonymous chat app, bitchat, has attracted attention for similar reasons.

Apple’s recent decision to remove ICEBlock and related apps that tracked US immigration enforcement activity has already drawn criticism, with lawmakers accusing the company of bending to government pressure. Those removals were justified under Apple’s objectionable content rules, a defence many found unconvincing.

By tightening its written guidelines, Apple may be attempting to give itself firmer ground for future enforcement decisions, especially when those decisions attract legal or political scrutiny.

What stands out most is the phrase “may be removed without notice.” That signals faster takedowns and fewer chances for developers to respond or adjust their apps.