Apple has removed a little known mobile app called Vybe Together, which has seemingly been used by reprehensible people to plan private parties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The app, which encouraged users to “Get your rebel on. Get your party on.” has been pulled from the App Store in the hopes of preventing further groups of inconsiderate folks flagrantly flaunting covid restrictions.
“Miss playing beer pong, flirting with strangers, and generally just having a blast with the crew? Vybe is here for you,” the app advertised on its website. Yeah, we all do mates. We’re just not being awful about it.
The app cleverly enabled users to plan secret parties with would-be attendees able to apply to come along to the super-spreader party. “You and your crew apply. If the host finds you interesting, they will approve you.”
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If accepted to an event, the address was shown two hours beforehand, lessening the chance of people putting a stop to the shenanigans beforehand. The app forces users to submit a profile before they can join, which includes a link to their Instagram handle. They also needed to submit pictures of the “crew” partying. Eugh.
The company, which has also been kicked off TikTok (man, that’s a low bar) claims it was only designed for small parties and not large gatherings. In an Instagram post it confirmed that Apple was the ones to remove it from the App Store, but also promises to be back.
Some terrible people built a whole app for finding and promoting COVID-unsafe large, indoor house parties and they’re using TikTok to market it to millions of ppl. pic.twitter.com/zYhBiFH4vR
— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) December 29, 2020
A spokesperson told The Verge: “Vybe Together was [a minimum viable product] designed to help other people organise small get-togethers in parks or apartments during COVID. We never hosted any large parties, and we made one over-the-top marketing video that left a wrong impression about our intentions, which has since been taken down. We do not condone large unsafe parties during a pandemic.”
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
