Apple Removes Sniffies From the App Store and Queer Folks Are Pissed

Apple just dropped a bomb on the queer hookup scene — and folks are upset. The tech giant quietly pulled Sniffies, the popular cruising and meetup app, from the App Store, leaving LGBTQIA+ users confused, frustrated, and demanding answers.

Sniffies, best known for its real-time map and discreet vibe, caters heavily to gay, bi, and curious men looking for no-strings fun or even spontaneous connections. But as of late May, users trying to download the app on their iPhones were met with a dead end. One minute, it was there, the next — gone with no official warning.

Here is a look at what happened with the popular gay hookup app.

Sniffies has been removed from the Apple App Store.

Apple removed Sniffies from the App Store in mid-May, and the gays are heated. Developers say the takedown happened under the guise of “ongoing content restrictions.” “Due to ongoing content restrictions, the app has been temporarily removed from the app store,” the statement read, per Out. “For users who already have the app installed, it will continue to function normally.”

This abrupt takedown comes barely two months after Sniffies made its long-awaited debut on iOS in March. The removal now leaves many users frustrated and questioning whether Apple applies a double standard when it comes to sexually explicit content and queer-oriented apps. Unlike mainstream dating apps like Grindr or Tinder, Sniffies never pretended to be PG-rated. It openly allowed nude profile photos and NSFW chats.

Sniffies could make a filtered return to the App Store.

When Sniffies launched on iOS in March, it came with a built-in workaround — a “Safer Work Mode.” This default setting automatically blurred all X-rated photos and text to avoid “violating Apple’s content policies.” However, the app has clearly hit an obstacle. Nonetheless, developers promise that they are exploring “next steps,” with hopes of restoring the app.

News of Sniffies’ removal lit up queer Twitter and Reddit with a mix of outrage and eye-rolls. Many users were quick to point out what they see as Apple’s blatant double standard. “Straight apps posing as gay ones like Grindr get the upper hand and get to use practices against App Store guidelines and rules, yet Sniffies gets banned. Makes total sense,” one person tweeted. While another wrote, “Oh no! No more Sniffies app on the App Store! What am I gonna do now? Type in the website on Safari.”

Others shrugged at the news, noting that Sniffies had never been allowed on the App Store in the first place. “I called it a long time ago that Sniffies insisting on putting a proper app on the App Store would only serve to put a (regulatory) target on their backs,” one X user suggested.

Some users had more practical concerns: Sniffies was a lifeline for those seeking no-strings encounters, especially outside big cities. On Reddit’s r/gay and r/Sniffies forums, people swapped tips on how to cope. Some iPhone owners jokingly noted that you can add the Sniffies website to your home screen.

Why do you think Sniffies got the boot while apps like Grindr and Tinder are still up?

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