App that claimed to help refugees at sea removed from App Store over reports it's fake
An app that claimed to help rescue refugees has been removed from Apple'e App Store following reports that it doesn't actually work the way its creators claimed.
The app, called I Sea, said it was bringing a "crowdsourced" approach to rescuing refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. But experts who have looked at the app more closely say that its claims are misleading.
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Created by ad agency Grey Digital, the app was covered widely by many media outlets (including Mashable) last week. The app, developed in partnership with the Malta-based NGO Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), purported to use satellite images to allow users to spot boats that may be in distress.
From the App Store description:
But developers and other experts who looked at the app more closely discovered several issues with I Sea's claims — namely, that the satellite images aren't actually live.
In fact, some people claimed the app showed the same one-year-old image of the ocean to every user.
Others pointed out that the app requires users to provide a significant amount of personal information, including a passport number, in order to make a report.
The app was removed from the App Store Monday.
When we reached out to Grey Digital for a comment, a representative directed us to a statement posted on the website of the company's Singapore office, which created the app. It says the app is in "testing mode" and acknowledges that the app is not showing live satellite images. Still, the company defended the app, saying it was "proud of what we have achieved so far."
We reached out to Grey's Singapore office for further comment and will update if we hear back.
