Apple is showing its support for the viral "Je Suis Charlie" campaign by quickly approving a new app that is now available in the App Store.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook reportedly approved the app in just one hour after developers contacted him. French news source Nice-Matin, the publisher of the app, reportedly emailed Cook directly to review the request in a timely manner. It can typically take up to ten days before an app is approved and posted.
The app, called Je Suis Charlie, allows users to see how far the movement has reached. Once the app is downloaded, users are asked to share their location, putting a pin on the map to add that user to the movement. They can see where other people called "Charlies" are. As of Monday afternoon, the app had more than 79,000 Charlies.
The phrase Je suis Charlie, French for "I am Charlie," has become the slogan used to show solidarity after the Charlie Hebdo massacre. 12 people were killed and three others were injured on Jan. 7 when terrorists opened gunfire at the Paris office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in retaliation for featuring a cartoon image of the Prophet Muhammad on its cover.
Je Suis Charlie encourages people to stand up for freedom of speech. On Sunday, more than 40 heads of state joined a march through Paris to rally in support of the movement. The White House admitted it was at fault on Monday for not sending President Obama or other top-ranking officials to the rally.
[PHOTO CREDIT: Je Suis Charlie]
