ICE and the Smartphone Panopticon

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

App Bans and “Targeted Group” Rationale

  • Discussion centers on Apple removing ICE-tracking / documentation apps (Eyes Up, ICEBlock) on grounds they “harm a targeted group,” effectively treating ICE agents as a vulnerable or protected group.
  • Many see this as absurd given ICE agents operate publicly and are heavily armed state actors.
  • Some note this mirrors earlier removals, like a drone-strike tracker app labeled “political.”

Big Tech Gatekeeping and Proprietary Platforms

  • Strong frustration that Apple/Google can unilaterally block dissent-enabling tools from devices people own.
  • One camp argues: if you rely on proprietary platforms, you’ve chosen to give up autonomy; the free software movement “warned about this.”
  • Others respond this is unrealistic for novices and the general public; “learn to code” is criticized as tone-deaf and non-pragmatic.

Alternatives: Web Apps, PWAs, and Decentralization

  • Several ask why the apps weren’t also built as web apps or PWAs from day one, anticipating app-store bans.
  • Suggestions: P2P, federated platforms, de-Googled Android, Linux, Briar, etc. Skeptics say such tools won’t reach mainstream users and would likely be outlawed in a more authoritarian phase.

Precedent, ToS, and Monopoly Power

  • Many see this as dangerous selective enforcement of ToS, especially when Waze can report police locations but ICE-focused apps are banned.
  • Counterpoint: companies can enforce ToS however they like; they aren’t bound by legal precedent.
  • Pushback: that may be legally true now, but for near-monopoly app stores society can and perhaps should impose constraints, like on utilities.

Immigration Enforcement vs. Abusive Paramilitary Force

  • One side: ICE is doing “immigration enforcement,” removing people here illegally, including many with criminal records.
  • Other side cites reports of raids, detentions of non-criminals and even citizens, and characterizes ICE as paramilitary thugs engaged in ethnic cleansing and political repression.

Metadata, Aggregation, and Liability

  • People wonder how far bans extend: is an app that just tags and aggregates publicly hosted videos now “proscribed”?
  • Consensus: platforms like Apple can still ban such apps regardless of Section 230; aggregation itself can be targeted if the intent is clear.

Authoritarian Drift and Elections

  • Several comments tie this to a broader authoritarian trajectory: DHS/ICE militarization, potential extremist infiltration, and fears these forces could be used to intimidate voters or disrupt future elections.