Some of the biggest tech news today is that Apple has quietly blocked apps like Replit from its app store, constraining the ability of the average user to “vibe code” apps. Experts cite Apple’s concerns about vibe coding that could alter existing app code, and concerns about data privacy.
But that leads to the larger and more overarching question: is vibe coding legal? And are there limits to what users can legally do in using AI to code mobile apps?
It’s actually not a cut and dried answer, and if you’re into the minutia of how law and liability apply, it’s kind of interesting.
Not Illegal to Code
First of all, let’s separate the act of coding, or “vibe coding” in particular, from the act of offering an app, vibe coded or otherwise, on a platform. That…