Apple Nixes ‘Baby Shaker’ iPhone Game After Outraged Groups Protest

Posted Apr 23, 2009 5:15 AM CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss

Apple quickly pulled an iPhone game called "Baby Shaker" after outraged groups condemned the application for encouraging dangerous behavior.

Apple confirmed that it nixed the controversial program but did not explain why it was approved in the first place, the Associated Press reports.

The application begins with a crying baby and the words, “See how long you can endure his or her adorable cries before you just have to find a way to quiet the baby down!” The San Francisco Chronicle explains how to stop the crying this way: “You shake the iPhone hard and then little Xs appear on the eyes of the baby, who will presumably never cry again.”

One of the critics was Patrick Donohue, founder of the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation. "As the father of a 3-year-old who was shaken by her baby nurse when she was only 5 days old, breaking three ribs, both collarbones and causing a severe brain injury, words cannot describe my reaction."

Comments

B. McLeod
Apr 23, 2009 7:46 AM CST

Ruh Roh. Somehow that one must have slipped by the public relations staff while they were busy suppressing the “puppy crusher” and “transient kicker” games.

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Steve
Apr 23, 2009 12:03 PM CST

Apple asked for this. By locking their system down to require central approval of all applications, they take responsibility for every problem that arises - technical and non-technical.

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Debra VEOLI
Apr 23, 2009 4:25 PM CST

These peeple ought to get a LIFE! Don’t they have anything BETTER to do?

Al agrees with me, He does not have internet access since he was fired from the job. He is still proud of our family name, though.

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B. McLeod
Apr 23, 2009 4:37 PM CST

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Debra VEOLI
Apr 23, 2009 8:43 PM CST

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B. McLeod
Apr 23, 2009 10:58 PM CST