iCloud Users Discover Apple Blocks Emails Containing 'Barely Legal Teen,' Apple Blames Spam Filter
They tried unsuccessfully to send the following email:
My friend's son is already allowed to drive a high-powered car. He's a barely legal teenage driver? What on earth is John thinking.
It was never received.
When the message was changed to say "barely a legal teenage driver," it was received just fine.
This was originally discovered when a screenwriter repeatedly tried and failed to send a script that detailed a character noticing a pornographic ad. When he changed the line, it was finally sent successfully.
Apple is famously anti-porn, rejecting explicit apps from its App Store.
Here's a look at Apple's iCloud terms of service. It appears Apple has a right to monitor stuff sent through iCloud:
You acknowledge that Apple is not responsible or liable in any way for any Content provided by others and has no duty to pre-screen such Content. However, Apple reserves the right at all times to determine whether Content is appropriate and in compliance with this Agreement, and may pre-screen, move, refuse, modify and/or remove Content at any time, without prior notice and in its sole discretion, if such Content is found to be in violation of this Agreement or is otherwise objectionable.
We tested this ourselves and it appears Apple is blocking emails containing the phrase "barely legal teen." We've reached out to Apple to see what the deal is.
UPDATE: We just heard back from Apple's spokeswoman Trudy Miller. Miller said iCloud uses automated spam filters that may sometimes block legitimate emails from being delivered.
Miller wouldn't expand on whether or not this has anything to do with Apple's "anti-porn" policy or why the emails don't appear in users' "junk" folder.