3

By David Rothman

imageCNET editor David Carnoy, I suspect, is far from the only writer to be censored by the Apple App Store.

Moriah Jovan, in fact, a TeleBlog commenter, writes of her own brush with Apple’s prudes.

In protesting, “MoJo” raises the issue of whether Apple is anti-book. Perhaps she’s being a little facetious, but if nothing else, I wonder why the company is acting so illogically. Isn’t it in business to enrich shareholders? And can’t e-books help build profits?

But compared to the App Store, MoJo notes, “I can get a better selection of books to read at Wal-Mart, albeit I have to go there and buy dead-tree books.” Could Apple’s censorship—and, yes, I’ll call it such even if Apple isn’t the government—be one reason? Not the best way to attract good books. Meanwhile Apple isn’t nearly as tough on violence in video games.

What’s going on? Doesn’t Apple see the merits of fiction and other recreational reading as a literacy builder? Instead the company’s limited e-book efforts seem to be focused so far on an alliance with ScrollMotion, the DRM-crazed provider of a horrid e-reading program intended to push overpriced books.

The irony is that thanks to third-party apps like Stanza, the iPhone is proving to be a terrific platform for e-reading, especially among young people on the go. But for how long? I still wonder if Apple will seek to choke off Lexcycle and other independents or at least seriously crimp them.

Technorati Tags: ,
 
3