Jack Dorsey’s Damus may be thwarted by Apple’s strict payment rules
Apple may remove decentralized social messaging app Damus from its App Store within 14 days due to the app’s integration with Lightning Network, a payment protocol that allows users to exchange Bitcoin directly without the need for another app. This could derail plans to make Bitcoin a more convenient transnational digital currency. In a tweet, Damus said that Apple fears that content creators could use “zaps” to sell digital content on its platform. Apple has a history of prohibiting app makers from using in-app payments to sell additional content or add-ons, unless those payments go through Apple, which takes a 30% cut. Jack Dorsey, CEO of payments company Block, which is backing Damus, tweeted support for the app and called for Apple CEO Tim Cook to reconsider removing Damus from the App Store.
FAQs:
1. What is Damus?
Damus is a decentralized social messaging app backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.
2. What is Lightning Network?
Lightning Network is a payment protocol that allows users to exchange Bitcoin directly without the need for another app.
3. Why might Apple remove Damus from its App Store?
Apple fears that Damus’ integration with Lightning Network could enable content creators to sell digital content on its platform, which goes against Apple’s policy of taking a 30% cut of in-app payments for such sales.
4. What is Jack Dorsey’s connection to Damus?
Dorsey is backing Damus through his payments company Block.
5. What did Jack Dorsey say about Apple’s potential removal of Damus from the App Store?
Dorsey tweeted support for Damus and called for Apple CEO Tim Cook to reconsider the decision, stating that Lightning Network is a critical part of the future of the internet and has the capacity to bring people around the world into the economy without traditional gatekeepers.
6. Why might Damus’ removal from the App Store be detrimental to the adoption of Bitcoin?
Damus’ integration with Lightning Network makes it easier for users to exchange Bitcoin, which could encourage its adoption as a more convenient transnational digital currency.
Apple’s strict payment regulations could foil Jack Dorsey’s Damus.
Apple may remove decentralized social messaging app Damus from its App Store in the next two weeks, according to a team behind the app. Backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, Damus allows users to exchange Bitcoin without needing another app using the Lightning Network payment protocol. These payments are known as “zaps” on the platform. In a tweet, Damus indicated that Apple was concerned creators could use zaps to sell digital content on its platform. However, Dorsey tweeted his support for Damus, claiming Apple misunderstood the role of zaps. He added that the feature had the capacity to bring people around the world into the economy without traditional gatekeepers.