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Apple Raises Concerns Over Pornography App on EU-Based AltStore PAL

 |  February 4, 2025

Apple has voiced serious concerns over the presence of a pornography app on an alternative app marketplace available in the European Union (EU), calling it a “danger to children.” According to a statement from the company, recent digital regulations in the region have enabled the controversial app to be distributed outside the traditional App Store framework.

The development follows Apple’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a law that compels major tech companies to allow users to download applications from sources beyond their proprietary stores. Prior to this mandate, Apple had maintained exclusive control over app distribution on its devices.

While Apple’s App Store strictly prohibits adult content, the Hot Tub app has been made available through AltStore PAL, one of the emerging third-party marketplaces now accessible to EU users. Per a statement from AltStore, Hot Tub has been described as “the first Apple-approved porn app,” since it passed Apple’s review process for security and functionality, as reported by AFP.

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However, Apple strongly refuted any suggestion that it endorses the application. Per a statement from the company, it expressed deep concern over “the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids.” Furthermore, Apple clarified that “contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store.”

AltStore PAL was established last year as a new avenue for app distribution in the EU. In a blog post, its creator, Riley Testut, explained that the marketplace aims to provide opportunities for smaller, independent applications that would otherwise be restricted by App Store policies. “All apps are welcome, but I believe AltStore makes the most sense for smaller, indie apps that otherwise couldn’t exist due to App Store rules,” Testut stated in the post.

Related: Hindustan Times