Tim Cook on Hong Kong protest app removal: We did it to protect our users

Apple has received a fair amount of backlash over its decision to ban an app that allows Hong Kong protesters to track the location of police, ambulance, road closures, tear gas, and other information about the city.

Now, in an internal memo seen by Reuters, company CEO Tim Cook doubled down on the decision and explained some of the logic behind it.

According to Cook, Apple has thoroughly researched the app, called HKmap.live, and found that it's used to “maliciously to target individual officers for violence and to victimize individuals and property where no police are present.”

This, claims Cook, means the app was violating Hong Kong law, and the abuse was violating Apple's App Store guidelines.

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"We believe this decision best protects our users," he said.

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Cook's reasoning echoes the words of the app's developer, which tweeted that "everything can be used for illegal purpose on the wrong hand." The conclusion is different, though; while HKmap.live claims the app is meant to provide information, and that its users are not "lawbreakers," Cook calls the abuse of the app "widespread."

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The HKmap.live is still available on the web, here.

SEE ALSO: Here's a growing list of companies bowing to China censorship pressure

Apple's not the only company that's being criticized over its conduct in light of the Hong Kong protests. Game developer and publisher Blizzard is in hot water after suspending a popular Hearthstone playerChung “Blitzchung” Ng Wai for publicly voicing support for the Hong Kong protesters.