To the attention of the Apple team,
I'm contacting you about the rejection of the « AGIR » application. I filled in an appeal form on 14 January, but received no response. I have reiterated this today.
I would like to point out that your decision is based on a misinterpretation of our application. You say that AGIR violates Directive 1.7 on reporting criminal activity, but our application in no way allows you to report crimes. It simply provides a place for citizens to help each other.
To make your reassessment easier, here is our account information:
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Team ID: C624G6U2P4
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Developer ID: 6e7ed795-4584-4135-b1a2-d5c6afe7d498
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Application submission identifier: 3f884c96-6961-4e7e-994d-2aafcdd18b71
It is essential that this error is corrected quickly, as our application fully complies with your guidelines, including guideline 1.7 on reporting criminal activity. The AGIR application is not designed to report criminal activity and therefore does not contravene this directive.
As stated in guideline 1.7:
« Applications for reporting suspected criminal activity must involve local law enforcement and may only be offered in countries or regions where such involvement is active. »
The AGIR application neither allows nor encourages the reporting of criminal activities. On the contrary, it expressly informs its users that the management of crimes or offences is the exclusive responsibility of law enforcement agencies. This is clearly and transparently stated in several clauses of its General Terms and Conditions of Use (GTCU) and in the messages displayed when using it. For example:
« [AGIR] can in no way replace emergency and rescue programmes (police, fire brigade, medical emergencies) » ;
« Under no circumstances should the Application be considered as an alternative to professional rescue services (police, fire brigade, emergency medical services, etc.). Users are strongly encouraged to contact these services as a matter of priority in the event of a dangerous situation » ;
« The AGIR application is a complementary tool designed to reinforce collective vigilance, but should never be used as the sole means of managing an emergency situation, even less so if the integrity or life of a person is at stake. For this reason, Users are reminded that they must always remain vigilant when using the application » ;
The AGIR application is a citizen's self-help tool, aimed solely at reinforcing mutual aid and collective vigilance in everyday situations. It does not propose to report criminal acts such as assassinations, hold-ups or any other crime. These situations are expressly excluded from the scope of use of the application. Users are reminded that in the event of immediate danger or a serious emergency, they should contact the relevant services directly, and not use the application as a response to such situations.
As a concrete example, AGIR can be used in a situation where a young girl, feeling annoyed by the whistling of strangers in the street, activates an alert on the application. This alert would enable people nearby to accompany her to make her feel more at ease. The aim is to foster a sense of solidarity and mutual assistance in situations where professional help is neither required nor appropriate. The data associated with alerts (in particular the time and place at which they are triggered) is processed securely and, if necessary, can be passed on to the relevant authorities in compliance with the applicable laws.
Applications similar to AGIR, such as « App-Elles » (available on your platform), which offer support functionalities in these contexts, are currently accessible and, like our application, comply with your guidelines. Our self-help solutions co-exist with your policies.
AGIR is simply a technological formalisation of a self-help mechanism that would naturally exist between citizens in such situations.
I would therefore ask you to reconsider your decision and confirm that the AGIR application complies with the Apple Store guidelines, in particular guideline 1.7, as the application does not contravene your rules.
I look forward to hearing from you and remain at your disposal should you require any further information or clarification. Thank you in advance.
Yours faithfully, Nathan B.
Creator of the AGIR application
Ps: Here are a few screenshots of the terms of use for the AGIR application in French
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