Apple 前日（9 號）將 HKmap.live 從 App Store 下架，至今仍未發出正式的公開聲明。惟英國《衛報》取得 Apple CEO Tim Cook 昨日向員工發送的電子郵件，Cook 在內聲稱 Apple 昨天將 HKmap.live 從 App Store 下架的原因為該 APP 在香港的持續示威活動中被濫用。
Cook 指該 APP 在地圖上報告和標示警方的檢查站丶示威活動熱點，以及其他相關消息，本為良性的資訊，但是「科技可用於好事或壞事上」（technology can be used for good or for ill）」，他們在過去幾天，從網絡安全及科技罪案調查科和香港用戶處得到了可靠消息，稱該 APP 被惡意使用，成為針對警員並向其施暴的工具，並在沒有警察的地方侵害個別人士及其財產。
Team,
You have likely seen the news that we made the decision to remove an app from the App Store entitled HKmap.live. These decisions are never easy, and it is harder still to discuss these topics during moments of furious public debate. It’s out of my great respect for the work you do every day that I want to share the way we went about making this decision.
It is no secret that technology can be used for good or for ill. This case is no different. The app in question allowed for the crowdsourced reporting and mapping of police checkpoints, protest hotspots, and other information. On its own, this information is benign. However, over the past several days we received credible information, from the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau, as well as from users in Hong Kong, that the app was being used maliciously to target individual officers for violence and to victimize individuals and property where no police are present. This use put the app in violation of Hong Kong law. Similarly, widespread abuse clearly violates our App Store guidelines barring personal harm.
We built the App Store to be a safe and trusted place for every user. It’s a responsibility that we take very seriously, and it’s one that we aim to preserve. National and international debates will outlive us all, and, while important, they do not govern the facts. In this case, we thoroughly reviewed them, and we believe this decision best protects our users.
Tim
Cook 沒有在電子郵件內提供這些資訊的詳細來源，也沒有進一步解釋為何會判定 HKmap.live 是用作針對警員的 APP。外媒《The Verge》評論，儘管使用該 APP 來突擊警察等的事件是有可能會發生，但一直以此作為論點作出恐慌性報導的是中國的官方媒體。
HKmap.live 的開發人員拒絕接受 Apple 的解釋，並重申該 APP 只是總匯並合併來自用戶丶新聞，以及 Facebook 和 Telegram 等社交平台的消息，且 HKmap.live 永遠不會在地圖上顯示警力不足的地方，只會顯示他們聚集的區域。
1. We disagree @Apple and @hkpoliceforce 's claim that HKmap App endanger law enforcement and residents in Hong Kong.#HKmap #HKmaplive #HK #Censorship
— HKmap.live 全港抗爭即時地圖 HK Protest Live Map (@hkmaplive) October 10, 2019
Apple 的決定遭到了各方的批評，有網民整合 200 多頁與香港警察有關的整合報告交予 Cook，但從 Cook 的電郵可見，他們似乎沒有打算讓該 APP 重新上架。
HKmap.live 曾在本月初從 App Store 短暫下架，但 Apple 澄清那是操作錯誤。但是在恢復上架數日後，Apple 前晚（9 號），再次下架該 APP，儘管他們無法提供任何 HKmap.live 有助於促進非法事件的證例。
截至目前，在下架前安裝了該 APP 的用戶仍可繼續使用，但未安裝的用戶則無法從 Apple Store 下載。
