Wikipedia

Baby Shaker

Baby Shaker was a controversial mobile game that was available on the Apple App Store for two days in April 2009. Developed by Sikalosoft, the game tasks players with either rocking or shaking their iPhone for as long as possible to quiet a crying baby; by shaking it, the baby dies. The app received negative attention from parents and online child protection groups, who accused it of promoting shaken baby syndrome and infanticide.

Baby Shaker
Original authorAlex Talbot
DeveloperSikalosoft
ReleaseApril 2009; 17 years ago (2009-04)
Operating systemiOS
PlatformiPhone
Available inEnglish
TypeNon-game

Description

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Baby Shaker was developed in 2009 by Sikalosoft, which, according to The Guardian, is operated by a programmer named Alex Talbot.[1] The game was approved for the App Store later that year by a team led by Phillip Shoemaker, an Apple employee who was in charge of iOS app approvals.[2] The game was sold for $0.99.[3][4]

In Baby Shaker, a timer counts from 0 and the sounds of a baby crying are heard over a black-and-white illustration of a baby.[5] Players must calm the baby: they can rock their iPhone back and forth like they are cradling the baby,[2] or shake it, which results in two red Xs appearing over the baby's eyes, symbolizing the baby's death.[6][7] After the baby stops crying, the user is asked if they would like to play again. The goal of the game is to endure the baby's cries for as long as possible.[8][9]

On a plane, on the bus, in a theater. Babies are everywhere you don't want them to be! They're always distracting you from preparing for that big presentation at work with their incessant crying. Before Baby Shaker there was nothing you could do about it.

— Baby Shaker's application description.[10]

Baby Shaker received negative feedback from both parents and child protection groups, accusing the game of mocking and promoting shaken baby syndrome and infanticide,[11][12] despite the game's description warning to "Never, never shake a baby".[13] Patrick Donohue, the founder of the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, filed a complaint to Steve Jobs, stating "words cannot describe [his] reaction."[14][15] According to Shoemaker, protests occurred outside the Apple Infinite Loop campus, and he admitted that the app's approval was a mistake on his end.[2] Baby Shaker was removed from the App Store on April 22, 2009, two days after its release.[3][16] Apple then issued an apology for approving the app, calling it "deeply offensive",[17][18] but RTVE criticized Apple for not explaining why the app was approved,[19] and Daniel Ionescu of ABC News said that Apple has banned less offensive apps, such as one about South Park.[20] Sikalosoft has not responded since Baby Shaker was pulled from the App Store.[5][9][21]

See also

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  • I Am Rich – a notably expensive 2008 iPhone application
  • Send Me to Heaven – an Android application known for encouraging risky behavior

References

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  1. ↑ Arthur, Charles (April 24, 2009). "Apple shaken by iPhone baby game". The Guardian. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Murphy, Bill Jr. (May 30, 2019). "With 7 Short Words, Steve Jobs Gave This Apple Employee a Brilliant Lesson in Leadership". Inc. ISSN 0162-8968. Archived from the original on July 26, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Arthur, Charles (April 23, 2009). "'Baby Shaker' game pulled from Apple's iPhone App Store". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  4. ↑ Boran, Marie (April 23, 2009). "Apple removes Baby Shaker from App Store". Silicon Republic.
  5. 1 2 Mintz, Jessica (April 23, 2009). "Apple pulls plug on 'Baby Shaker' iPhone program". Phys.org.
  6. ↑ Jensen, K. Thor (September 2, 2022). "11 iPhone Apps That Got Banned And Why". PCMag. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  7. ↑ Siegler, MG (April 22, 2009). "Feel Like Shaking A Baby To Death? There's An App For That". TechCrunch. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  8. ↑ Yordy, Eric D.; Bryant, Katlin (2013). "The Baby Shaker Application: A Mobile App Dilemma" (PDF). Journal of International Business Education. 8. Northern Arizona University: NeilsonJournals Publishing: 27–34. ISSN 1649-4946. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  9. 1 2 CBC (April 23, 2009). "Apple pulls plug on 'Baby Shaker' iPhone program". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  10. ↑ Woodman, Tenley (April 22, 2009). "'Baby Shaker' app fuels outrage". The Boston Herald.
  11. ↑ Choney, Suzanne (April 22, 2009). "'Baby Shaker' app pulled from iPhone store". NBC News.
  12. ↑ De Wolfe, Danielle (January 18, 2016). "The most outrageous banned apps from the App Store". ShortList. Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  13. ↑ Cernansky, Rachel (April 23, 2009). "Most Offensive iPhone App Ever? "Baby Shaker" Endorses Infanticide". Discover Magazine. Archived from the original on May 12, 2025. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  14. ↑ Coombes, Rebecca (April 27, 2009). "Apple withdraws baby shaker game after complaints". The BMJ. 338 b1716. doi:10.1136/bmj.b1716.
  15. ↑ Chen, Brian (April 23, 2009). "Apple Removes Baby-Killing iPhone App Amid Outrage". Wired. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  16. ↑ Hutcheon, Stephen (April 23, 2009). "Apple pulls baby shaking game". WAtoday. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  17. ↑ Krazit, Tom. "Apple apologizes for Baby Shaker". CNET. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  18. ↑ Spencer, Spanner (April 24, 2009). "Baby Shaker application pulled from App Store". Pocket Gamer.
  19. ↑ "Apple retira un juego para el iPhone basado en zarandear a un niño". RTVE.es (in Spanish). rtve. April 24, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  20. ↑ ABC News (April 23, 2009). "Apple Approves Tasteless Baby-Shaker iPhone Game, Then Removes It". ABC News. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Apple apologizes for 'Baby Shaker' iPhone app". NBC News. April 23, 2009.
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