Tim Cook shows his support for the victims of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris as he approves the "Je Suis Charlie" app just minutes after an email was sent to the Apple CEO requesting a review for the app.
Translated as "I Am Charlie," the French phrase "Je Suis Charlie" became viral as a form of support for free speech and freedom of expression, following the Charlie Hebdo massacre, where 12 victims were murdered, on January 7 at the offices of the satirical publication Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Four cartoonists from the satirical newspaper were among the massacre's victims.
According to local French news outlet Nice-Matin, the developer of the Je Suis Charlie app, which allows users to mark their location on the world map with a black and white emblem of a pencil held in an upward fist, sent an email to the Chief Executive Officer of Apple, requesting an approval for the app. Ten minutes later, an assistant responded, saying that the app will be reviewed within an hour. The Je Suis Charlie app became available for free download on iTunes moments later.
The average time for an app to gain approval from Apple takes around 10 to 15 days.
The "Je Suis Charlie" meme became widely-spread through netizens roughly an hour after the Charlie Hebdo massacre. The topic became a top trend in the Twitter hashtags on the same day of the attack.
Despite the terrorist attack, Charlie Hebdo will still continue to publish their satire work.