iPhone app caught distributing child porn

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 2 Jul 2009 at 12:46

Apple has removed an application from the iPhone App Store after it was caught distributing photos of a naked 15-year-old girl.

The photo appeared in the free BeautyMeter app - a clone of AmIHotOrNot, which allows users to rate other people's photos, by assigning star ratings to their face, body and clothes.

The photograph, which was discovered by Wired.com, shows a topless girl taking a photograph of herself in a mirror. The caption on the photo says "United States, age: 15". Wired said it couldn't verify the girl's age or identity.

The application was no longer appearing on the iPhone App Store at the time of publication.

A spokesman for the company behind BeautyMeter told Wired that users are required to provide their iPhone device ID so that the company can trace illegal content. "We don't review each uploaded photo exclusively but from time to time we will clean up," the spokesman said.

Apple is fighting a running battle with providers of adult content on its App Store. The company has removed several applications that have been found to be distributing photos of naked women.