Italy’s Minister of Tourism is demanding that Apple remove one of the applications from its online store as it is deemed to be ‘offensive’ and ‘unacceptable’.
The application, for iPhones, iPads etc, is a travel guide called ‘What Country?’ and it characterises each country with words and images.
Britain is: tea, weird sense of humour, football hooligans and rain, Germany is: beer, discipline and autobahns, China is: overpopulation, kung fu, Great Wall, Tibet and tea ceremony, and the most defining characteristics for America are: melting pot, hamburger and the American dream.
Italy, however, find their characteristics ‘offensive and unacceptable’. They are listed as : pizza, the mafia and scooters. In addition, the image is a sign saying Mafia Parking Only. All others will be dealt with.
So, there is no Mafia in Italy then, no pizzas and it is not the home of the scooter?