Decentralized Social Media App Damus Faces Apple App Store Removal Over Bitcoin Tipping Feature

Damus, the decentralized social media app also known as the "Twitter Killer," is at risk of being removed from the Apple App Store if it does not remove its Bitcoin tipping feature within 14 days.

Tech giant Apple is standing in the way of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey's dream of a decentralized social media platform. The messaging app he supports, following his exit from the micro-blogging platform, could potentially be removed from the app marketplace maintained by the tech juggernaut.

Launched on February 1, Damus integrates the Bitcoin payment protocol Lightning Network. The app recently received a warning email from Apple, stating that its version 1.4.3 is not in compliance with the app store's review guidelines.

Apple specifically pointed out in the warning email that Damus' tipping feature allows users to send tips for receiving content from digital content creators, which utilizes a mechanism "other than in-app purchase."

"Damus will be removed from the app store in 14 days," Apple stated. Damus shared this information on its official Twitter account on Tuesday, adding that Apple does not allow "zaps" on their platform because they could be used by content creators to sell digital content. This warning comes right before Damus' scheduled talk at the Oslo Freedom Forum, where they planned to discuss how decentralized social networks with Lightning integration are bringing financial freedom to the masses.

Furthermore, the account emphasized that Apple's ultimatum "would be a watershed moment" and would have huge implications for the entire ecosystem of apps with Lightning integration and "v4v" (value for value). Apple specifically pointed out in the warning email that Damus' tipping feature allows users to send tips for receiving content from digital content creators, which utilizes a mechanism "other than in-app purchase."

"Damus will be removed from the app store in 14 days," Apple stated. Damus shared this information on its official Twitter account on Tuesday, adding that Apple does not allow "zaps" on their platform because they could be used by content creators to sell digital content. This warning comes right before Damus' scheduled talk at the Oslo Freedom Forum, where they planned to discuss how decentralized social networks with Lightning integration are bringing financial freedom to the masses.

Furthermore, the account emphasized that Apple's ultimatum "would be a watershed moment" and would have huge implications for the entire ecosystem of apps with Lightning integration and "v4v" (value for value). They clarified that the decentralized social media app does not sell digital goods but provides feature tip buttons for peer-to-peer transactions similar to Venmo and Cash App.

They clarified that the decentralized social media app does not sell digital goods but provides feature tip buttons for peer-to-peer transactions similar to Venmo and Cash App.

"Damus doesn't sell any digital goods or provide features for selling digital goods. It simply has tip buttons for facilitating peer-to-peer transactions like Venmo or Cash App," the account explained in a follow-up tweet.

Dorsey immediately came to Damus' rescue and requested Apple CEO Tim Cook to reconsider.

"This seems to be a misunderstanding by @apple of how this feature works and what it's for," the Twitter founder said in a tweet.

"It's a critical part of the future of the internet. It has the capacity to bring people around the world into the economy without the traditional gatekeepers. Please reconsider," Dorsey added, tagging the official Twitter account of the Apple CEO.

Just a day after its launch, Damus became the second most downloaded app in Southeast Asia. However, its success was short-lived as the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) promptly removed the app from the China App Store.

The agency cited that the Damus app features content that is illegal in China and violates the country's "provisions of the security assessment of internet-based information services with an attribute or public opinion or capable of social mobilization."