Hi everyone,
I'm looking for clarification regarding Apple's App Review Guideline 1.1.6 and how it applies to fictional chat-story creation apps.
We have an iOS application, Text Yourself – Chat Story Maker, which previously allowed users to create fictional text conversations, customize characters, and create chat-based stories.
Last month, we received an App Review rejection under Guideline 1.1.6, indicating concerns about fake conversation and messaging functionality. To comply with Apple's requirements, we removed the chat conversation creation feature and redesigned the app around traditional storybook creation.
However, we've noticed that other apps in the same category continue to offer essentially the same functionality and are receiving regular App Store updates.
For example:
TextingStory Chat Story Maker https://apps.apple.com/in/app/textingstory-chat-story-maker/id1083676922
This app publicly advertises fictional conversation creation, switching between chat participants, and exporting conversations as videos. Its App Store screenshots also prominently demonstrate these features.
Our app: https://apps.apple.com/in/app/text-yourself-chat-story-maker/id1400128067
This raises a few questions:
- Does Guideline 1.1.6 prohibit all fake or fictional text conversation creators, even when intended purely for storytelling and entertainment?
- Is there a distinction between a fictional chat-story maker and an app designed to impersonate real conversations?
- If these features are prohibited, how are other apps continuing to offer and update them?
- Are there specific design, labeling, or functionality requirements that would make chat-story creation compliant?
We respect Apple's guidelines and are not looking to report or negatively affect any competing app.
Our concern is understanding how the guidelines should be interpreted and applied consistently, especially when removing a core feature significantly changes an application's purpose and competitiveness.
We would genuinely appreciate insights from Apple engineers, App Review representatives, or developers who have encountered similar situations.
Thank you!