Last month, we witnessed a standoff between Apple Inc and Bitcoin-friendly social app Damus, that ended in the removal of the app’s ability to ‘zap’ (bitcoin tipping feature) in response to user content. This function was deemed equivalent to selling digital media and was thus in violation of guidelines set forth by Apple’s App Store. Damus’ creator, William Casarin, eventually conceded, yet an ingenious counter was just around the corner.
Two separate Bitcoin developers, Ben Carman and Paul Miller, now present an intriguing workaround: Zapple Pay. This new service, launched just two weeks after the initial fallout, found a loophole via emoji that allows users to once more zap each other on posts. Is Apple truly powerless to stop this overturn?
Carman and Miller, also known as the co-founders of the Mutiny wallet, a browser-based, self-custodial wallet that’s Lightning-enabled, faced the ordeal that Apple might retaliate against Damus and turn this into a lengthy game of wits. However, they remained confident. Miller stated, “We could build the exact same functionality on top of any social network.” indicating that they were ready to replicate the mechanism for other platforms if needed.
Let it be clear that Damus creator William Casarin had no hand in the development of Zapple Pay, nor any links with the developers. Damus still maintains its popularity among bitcoiners, arguably due to its tipping feature. After Apple first took action, cryptocurrency advocates and figures such as former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, echoed their support for the platform. Dorsey firmly called out Apple CEO Tim Cook on the matter, and later subtly acknowledged the Zapple Pay developers’ achievement.
Before Damus was forced to mute its tipping feature for posts by Apple, it was advised to use Apple’s own mobile payment service, Apple Pay, for zaps, an arrangement Casarin found absurd. As he put it, “Apple banning note zaps is like trying to ban hyperlinks in browsers. It’s just a piece of technology and they have zero power to stop it.”
In the wake of these events, Apple‘s initial response remains pending, still leaving many to question if this is a smaller instance of an impending struggle between tech giants and cryptocurrency platforms. Reflecting on the situation, Carman noted with determination, “We could build the same thing for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. So if they go after Damus, then we’ll replicate it for Twitter and try to force their hand.” A compelling thought to leave on as we continue to see the dance between blockchain technologies and the established tech world unfold.
Source: Coindesk
