New Swedish App Pays People to Report Wrongly Parked Cars
- Written by Elijah Ugoh Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
- Fact-Checked by
A new app launched in Sweden allows people to take photos of wrongly parked cars and report them for money. The app is currently available to users in Uppsala and will launch in several major cities shortly, according to the company’s CEO.
“ Scout Park is a Swedish gig economy app that allows anyone aged 16 and above with a Swedish social security number to earn money on the go by helping parking attendants find people who do not follow the parking rules in the community,” Erik Englund, CEO of the company, told Euronews.
The person making the report simply takes a photo of the car, including the number plate, and uploads it in the Scout Park app. The app will then notify them of any nearby traffic attendant and when the officer is on their way.
Erik Englund explained that if the tip leads to an inspection by a traffic warden and the car owner gets a ticket, the individual who initiated the tip earns 100 Krona (almost $10 USD). “Well, it’s never fun to get a parking ticket. The app does more good than harm,” says Englund.
His LinkedIn page elaborates, “The reason why it’s all about parking enforcement is not that I hate motorists or that I’m completely zealous about law and order, but only that I saw the opportunity in this industry to realize my vision of creating the world’s easiest extra job, that anyone can do at any time and get money in their account instantly.”
A few people have criticized the innovation as not adding value to society, but Englund believes that Scout Park will ensure that no-parking zones are respected, everyone plays by the same rules, and there’s hassle-free access to designated areas for anyone relying on accessible pathways.
UK Court Denies Apple’s Bid to Dismiss Lawsuit Over App Store Fees
- Written by Deep Shikha Content Writer
- Fact-Checked by
On April 12, a London court rejected Apple’s attempt to dismiss nearly a $1 billion lawsuit involving 1,500 app developers. The lawsuit accuses Apple of unfairly charging over 1,500 UK developers unnecessary fees (up to 30%) on the app and content purchases.
The case was filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) last year. Sean Ennis, a competition law professor and economist, leads this case.
Ennis’s legal team claims that Apple misused its dominant market position by controlling app distribution on iPhones and other devices. The plaintiffs are pursuing damages as a result.
In January, Apple’s lawyer, Daniel Piccinin, argued that only developers charged through the UK App Store could file a claim in the UK, which would render many of the claims inadmissible. However, Judge Andrew Lenon overruled this claim, meaning that Apple must face the lawsuit and all 1,500+ claims.
Judge Lenon stated in a written ruling that Ennis’ lawyers could realistically prove that Apple’s high commissions charged to UK-based app developers for sales on non-UK storefronts amounted to actions taken within the UK.
While Apple contends with increased regulatory scrutiny from US and European authorities over its App Store fees, the company maintains that 85% of its App Store developers are exempt from any commission fees.
The European Union has passed new laws that require Apple to allow app downloads from competing sources, such as vendor websites and third-party app stores. In the US, Apple changed its App Store policies after a legal fight with Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite .
The UK court case isn’t expected to begin until 2025.
