Earlier today a tweet to the folk at the Everyday Sexism account on Twitter sparked outrage, after it showed a plastic surgery gaming app marketed at young girls.
The tweet from a father an 11-year-old girl explained that he was disconnecting his daughter’s access to the Internet, with a picture of the disturbing app attached, thus fuelling an online campaign for iTunes to ban such downloads.
The free gaming app, released just last week, target girls aged 9+, offering them the chance to play “doctor” and perform liposuction on an “unfortunate girl” to help her become “slim and beautiful.”
The folk behind Everyday Sexism asked their 100,000+ followers to help them get it deleted as it provided a horrible message to young girls.
Please join us today in asking @itunes to reconsider marketing this ‘game’ to players aged 9+ #EverydaySexism pic.twitter.com/8zo6b6uCM1
— EverydaySexism (@EverydaySexism) January 14, 2014
The disturbing app description reads: “This unfortunate girl has so much extra weight that no diet can help her. In our clinic she can go through a surgery called liposuction that will make her slim and beautiful. We’ll need to make small cuts on problem areas and suck out the extra fat. Will you operate on her, doctor?”
The app’s developer, Corina Rodriguez, has 27 other games available for download on iTunes, the majority of which are makeover and dressing up childcare gaming formats.
UPDATE: @itunes has removed the plastic surgery app we highlighted from its platform.
— EverydaySexism (@EverydaySexism) January 14, 2014
iTunes responded to requests this evening and removed the game.
Hi @GooglePlay can you explain why this app is available to all ages on your platform? https://t.co/WA1dMYRDOY … pic.twitter.com/jDGGqxEwXR
— EverydaySexism (@EverydaySexism) January 14, 2014
Google apps are also offering the game titled, ‘Plastic Surgery’ which campaigners have also asked to be removed immediately.
