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> My bigger issue here is the complete lack of transparency or visibility into the process. This is indeed the core of the problem. If Apple provided a clear c

> My bigger issue here is the complete lack of transparency or visibility into the process. This is indeed the core of the problem. If Apple provided a clear citation, e.g. “the following protected information was shared under your name at this URL on this date, which violates section xyz of your developer agreement,” it would still be unfortunate, but it would be miles ahead of Apple’s maddening “for more information please reread” stance.

giancarlostoro 7y ago
This is an issue with a lot of companies and industries. It's getting really old, and I really hope we see it happen to actual senators so we can see some damn change over it. I'd love to read about how Paypal shutdown some senators account or campaign donation account or whatever, maybe then we will see congress start to turn tables. If you're going to discontinue service with a client then provide proper background into why that is. It's a damn courtesy.
- jjeaff 7y ago
  Unfortunately, the official internal policy seems to be to shut down accounts and then if someone turns out to be well connected or is able to get some press coverage, then they get unblocked. So senators will never need to worry.
- TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago
  Note that for certain financial services, perhaps including PayPal, they may not legally be allowed to explain why they closed your account.
  - ethbro 7y ago
    That's debatable. In fact, it's probably more accurate to say "It's legally more perilous for them to explain why they closed your account." Which is a distinction when it comes to possible ways to fix the problem. I'm absolutely in favor of a "right to examine" law around algorithmic decisions that impact an individual.
FussyZeus 7y ago
This is impossible at scale and a waste of a companies' time. Apple doesn't care if your account is reinstated. Odds are (just like the author here) you know exactly why your account is suspended. If you honestly don't, then you didn't do your due diligence in signing up. And, even if they cited whatever part of whatever agreement, it would just be onto the next excuse. It's a bottomless pit of arguing that solves nothing. It's the same reason reddit moderators don't answer when you ask why you got banned. Either you know why and you're just trying to weasel out of it, or you don't know why and you're a bad contributor in general, or you don't know why and don't care and just want back in. And the answer to all three is no. Why? Because who cares about you? You're one of millions. You're one infinitesimal speck in a deluge of others, all providing similar things but who are following the rules. You are not special. You are replaceable. After you're gone, 5 other developers will take your place, paying their dues, and following the rules, and you won't be missed. Nobody's app idea is so fucking star spangled awesome as to make them above the rules. You wanna play in Apple's sandbox? Cool, they're happy to have you. Do it right. And if you don't, they'll boot you out. Simple as.
- chipsa 7y ago
  If someone can manually kill a Dev account, they can include a message why it was killed. Even if it's generic form letter, it can be one that at least says what rule was broken.
  - FussyZeus 7y ago
    They can. But why should they? What's the benefit?
    - rootusrootus 7y ago
      Goodwill. Just because you're the big gorilla and can act as such with impunity doesn't mean you ought to constantly remind people of that. One developer doesn't matter in the grand scheme, but every time they get to the front page of HN with a story like this it chips away at Apple's (or Google's, or whoever's) reputation. Collectively that does have value.
threeseed 7y ago
How do we know Apple didn't provide that ? If the author is being disingenuous and misrepresenting why likely was banned then I am sure other facts are being left out as well.
- ninju 7y ago
  > If the author is being disingenuous and misrepresenting why likely was banned then I am sure other facts are being left out as well. And how do you know the author is being disingenuous ?
  - rodgerd 7y ago
    He's suggesting that, out of the blue, Apple have suspended his account and he can't imagine any possible reason why. If he's been reverse engineering and publish the results of developer-only pre-releases in violation of his T&Cs, then he has a pretty good idea why.
fortran77 7y ago
So if you want to stop a successful Apple developer (maybe a competitor), just write blog posts using his name about Apple beta, internal, or reversed engineered things.

giancarlostoro 7y ago

This is an issue with a lot of companies and industries. It's getting really old, and I really hope we see it happen to actual senators so we can see some damn change over it. I'd love to read about how Paypal shutdown some senators account or campaign donation account or whatever, maybe then we will see congress start to turn tables. If you're going to discontinue service with a client then provide proper background into why that is. It's a damn courtesy.

jjeaff 7y ago
Unfortunately, the official internal policy seems to be to shut down accounts and then if someone turns out to be well connected or is able to get some press coverage, then they get unblocked. So senators will never need to worry.
TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago
Note that for certain financial services, perhaps including PayPal, they may not legally be allowed to explain why they closed your account.
- ethbro 7y ago
  That's debatable. In fact, it's probably more accurate to say "It's legally more perilous for them to explain why they closed your account." Which is a distinction when it comes to possible ways to fix the problem. I'm absolutely in favor of a "right to examine" law around algorithmic decisions that impact an individual.

FussyZeus 7y ago

This is impossible at scale and a waste of a companies' time. Apple doesn't care if your account is reinstated. Odds are (just like the author here) you know exactly why your account is suspended. If you honestly don't, then you didn't do your due diligence in signing up. And, even if they cited whatever part of whatever agreement, it would just be onto the next excuse. It's a bottomless pit of arguing that solves nothing. It's the same reason reddit moderators don't answer when you ask why you got banned. Either you know why and you're just trying to weasel out of it, or you don't know why and you're a bad contributor in general, or you don't know why and don't care and just want back in. And the answer to all three is no. Why? Because who cares about you? You're one of millions. You're one infinitesimal speck in a deluge of others, all providing similar things but who are following the rules. You are not special. You are replaceable. After you're gone, 5 other developers will take your place, paying their dues, and following the rules, and you won't be missed. Nobody's app idea is so fucking star spangled awesome as to make them above the rules. You wanna play in Apple's sandbox? Cool, they're happy to have you. Do it right. And if you don't, they'll boot you out. Simple as.

chipsa 7y ago
If someone can manually kill a Dev account, they can include a message why it was killed. Even if it's generic form letter, it can be one that at least says what rule was broken.
- FussyZeus 7y ago
  They can. But why should they? What's the benefit?
  - rootusrootus 7y ago
    Goodwill. Just because you're the big gorilla and can act as such with impunity doesn't mean you ought to constantly remind people of that. One developer doesn't matter in the grand scheme, but every time they get to the front page of HN with a story like this it chips away at Apple's (or Google's, or whoever's) reputation. Collectively that does have value.

threeseed 7y ago

How do we know Apple didn't provide that ? If the author is being disingenuous and misrepresenting why likely was banned then I am sure other facts are being left out as well.

ninju 7y ago
> If the author is being disingenuous and misrepresenting why likely was banned then I am sure other facts are being left out as well. And how do you know the author is being disingenuous ?
- rodgerd 7y ago
  He's suggesting that, out of the blue, Apple have suspended his account and he can't imagine any possible reason why. If he's been reverse engineering and publish the results of developer-only pre-releases in violation of his T&Cs, then he has a pretty good idea why.

fortran77 7y ago

So if you want to stop a successful Apple developer (maybe a competitor), just write blog posts using his name about Apple beta, internal, or reversed engineered things.