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ICEBlock App Tops Apple Store as Trump Administration Threatens Legal Action

Legal scholars say free-speech protections will likely block any effort to charge its creator

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Overview

  • ICEBlock has attracted more than 30,000 users and ranks as the top free social-networking app on Apple’s App Store
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have warned they may prosecute developer Joshua Aaron and at least one media outlet for reporting on the app
  • ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons said the app “paints a target” on federal officers and accused CNN of “willfully endangering” agents by covering ICEBlock
  • Aaron built the app to expire user-submitted sightings after four hours and to avoid collecting device IDs or IP addresses
  • First Amendment experts, including UC San Francisco’s David Levine, say constitutional barriers would likely thwart any prosecution efforts