Apple says no to iPods of mass destruction

newsguy 0 322 Views

it appears that Apple has decided to cover all bases when it comes to how iTunes is used. Apparently, buried deep within the is this little gem of a clause:

"Licensee also agrees that Licensee will not use the Apple Software for any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture or production of nuclear, missiles, or chemical or biological weapons."

So there you have it, in black and white, straight from the lawyer's mouth as it were: iTunes should not be used to help produce weapons of mass destruction. Of course, two things jump out at me regarding this truly mind-boggling bit of licensing. Firstly, I am extremely confused as to just how a terrorist could use iTunes software to produce such a weapon. Unless, that is, you think in terms of maybe recording audio instructions or playing back some kind of 'bomb making for dummies' video. OK then, let's assume that iTunes can indeed be put to such a nefarious use by followers of the axis of evil. In which case you surely also have to assume that these terrorists are going to have bigger legal worries than being in breach of an Apple EULA. I doubt it would act as any great deterrent in the overall scheme of things.

Dani AI

Generated

Short primer and practical context for the thread: is right that Apple’s consumer license language includes a broad “export / unlawful-use” prohibition — the wording you’re seeing is standard boilerplate companies add so their software isn’t exported or relied on for uses that run afoul of U.S. law. That language’s practical effect is largely about vendor liability and regulatory compliance, not creating new criminal statutes. (apple.com)

About enforceability and real-world effect: courts have treated shrinkwrap/clickwrap licenses as contracts, so a vendor can revoke a license or sue for breach if necessary — but that’s civil contract law, not criminal enforcement. Actual criminal liability for weapons, export violations, or other serious offenses is handled by government statutes and agencies, not by a private EULA. Consumer-rights groups also warn that EULAs often contain sweeping, hard-to-read terms that people accept without noticing. (cyber.harvard.edu)

On the technical side, ’s joke about coding to music is exactly the point: the clause is not a practical barrier to someone determined to misuse information. Research groups have legitimately used consumer devices as controllers — the UC Berkeley C3UV work is a clear example of repurposing phones for UAV coordination — and repurposing does not automatically mean illicit use. That said, moving from demo research to weaponized or safety‑critical systems brings export, aviation and weapons rules into play; those are separate legal/regulatory regimes you must follow. (engineering.berkeley.edu)

Practical takeaways

  • If you’re curious or worried: read the exact EULA for the version you’re using and note the export / life‑safety disclaimers.
  • For research that interacts with aircraft, critical infrastructure, or controlled tech: use appropriate research‑grade hardware, document approvals, and run exports/compliance checks.
  • For hobby or daily use (listening to music while coding): this is boilerplate you can note and move on from.

If a project might be regulated, get institutional review or legal advice before relying on consumer software.

Member Avatar for jwenting
jwenting 1,905 duckman

read the thread about relaxing while coding.
Many people code to music.
The iTunes license apparently does not allow one to use iTunes for that while designing a weapon of mass destruction or its control software unless authorised to do so by the US government.

Sounds reasonable to me :)

Member Avatar for vmanes
vmanes 1,165 Posting Virtuoso

Similar wording is in many of the Apple licenses, including iPods and iPhones. Now there's a threat, as seen at :
http://gizmodo.com/5016947/berkeley-group-uses-iphone-to-control-uav-squadron

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.

Edit Preview