Apple has taken down Like Patrol, an app that allows users to stalk those they follow on Instagram.
The tech company said it was removing Like Patrol from its iOS marketplace after deciding that the app violated the company’s guidelines. Apple, however, did not state which of its rules were violated by the app.
In October, Instagram announced that it was phasing out the “Following” tab after it found out that it allowed users to see the activities of those they were following on the social media platform. Instagram said that the tab shared a lot of information about other users and that people were surprised to see that their activities could be seen up there. In a bid to stop others from recreating the “Following” tab, a cease-and-desist letter was sent by Instagram to Like Patrol at the end of October.
The makers of Like Patrol described the app as the Following tab “on steroids. It was launched in July and was designed to function like Instagram “Following” tab but in a more invasive manner. The app came with some features that made it easy for users to stalk someone’s behavior on Instagram without their knowledge.
The app can tell you who a particular user is interacting with, whether it’s a man or a woman and if they are attractive. The app’s founder, Sergio Luis Quintero had earlier said that they were going to fight the cease and desist order sent by Instagram. But with Apple’s decision to remove the app from its app store, Like Patrol may just be on its way out.
Usually, when an app is taken down, users who downloaded it before it was removed from the app store will still be able to access it. For now, it is still unclear whether those who had previously downloaded Like Patrol can still use the service after Apple’s action. Like Patrol and Apple are yet to respond to requests for comment.
