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For humor, I was considering including a popup message much like this one in an App:

permission popup

But something like '"App" would like to access your hopes and dreams'. Would this spoof on a common Apple API make the app more likely to be rejected? Or is there any official policy which could be construed this way?

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  • For anyone looking for precedent, The app "Sometimes you die" humorously parodies the official in-app-purchase window, asking if you want to spend $9,999 to unlock a level, and prompting you to choose between two options: "Yes" and "Yes".
    – Machination
    Commented Aug 16, 2014 at 20:35

2 Answers 2

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There's nothing specific in the App Review Guidelines regarding this, although Apple reserve the right to reject your app and/or modify the guidelines:

It is a living document that will evolve as we are presented with new Apps and situations, and we'll update it periodically to reflect these changes.

Source: App Store Review Guidelines

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    It depends on the app, but such a misleading pop up, while for some a joke, for others is not.
    – Ruskes
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 15:33
  • Could you quote exactly what you are referring to in the link? Sourcing the entire "App Store Review Guidelines" doesn't demonstrate the source of the information.
    – Ruskes
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 18:49
  • What you quoted has not much to do with the question, it is a generic statement on any document. So how does it provide any reference to the question, it only says Apple reserves the right to modify the document.
    – Ruskes
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 19:02
  • @Buscar As discussed above the quote, it is not beyond Apple to modify the document if a new situation arises that causes Apple to need to change the guidelines.
    – grg ♦
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 19:03
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    I'm accepting this answer, because it confirms that there is nothing against this behavior in current written App policy, but issues a helpful warning for pretty much any App policy-related questions, including mine.
    – Machination
    Commented Jul 12, 2014 at 3:52
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It would be considered "deceiving" and probably not allowed.

It will be left to interpretation (by Apple), if such pop up is deceiving (witch it is) and what is its the ultimate purpose, since it is possible that some users would react rather negatively until they realize it was a joke.

If you app is some kind of game in that nature, then yes, but if it is some kind of board game, then no.

22.2

Apps that contain false, fraudulent or misleading representations or use names or icons similar to other Apps will be rejected.

Source: https://developer.apple.com/appstore/resources/approval/guidelines.html

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    As the message of the dialog would be changed I do not see how this would be misleading.
    – grg ♦
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 15:13
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    @GeorgeGarside you surprise me now, you do not think that the "App" would like to access your hopes and dreams' is misleading ? 4+
    – Ruskes
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 15:20
  • No, I believe that such a hyperbole does not classify as misleading, although that doesn't mean Apple won't reject it as I mentioned.
    – grg ♦
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 15:53
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    You also face this problem: even supposing you got the app approved the first time, a 2nd reviewer might find the popup objectionable and reject an update.
    – samh
    Commented Jul 11, 2014 at 18:58
  • @samh good point. This issue seems to be gray enough that judgement might vary from reviewer to reviewer. It will be a risk, and I will have to weigh that in my decision.
    – Machination
    Commented Jul 12, 2014 at 3:56

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