News aggregated app getting rejected due to Covid articles

I have news app for a newspaper in Alaska. The app does not collect any information from the users. However, the app has been rejected by Apple to the following:


Regarding the 5.1.1 issue, we found in our review that your app provides services or requires sensitive user information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis, services and information related to it are considered to be part of the healthcare industry. In addition, the seller and company names associated with your app are not from a recognized institution, such as a governmental entity, hospital, insurance company, non-governmental
organization, or university.


I appealed the rejection stating that the news articles, are just that ... articles about COVID related to the newspaper's community. The articles are just plain information. No user data is collected, and none of the articles are "opinion" pieces ... The are just number of cases reported in the community, etc.

The appeal was rejected with the exact same wording as the first time.

Does anyone know what I can do to get the app approved? It is just a news app that shows articles from the Alaskan community, and to be honest, the majority of the news is about building development and sports.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
I am in the same situation! Built a news app and got rejected for the same reason. I am constantly explaining that it does not collect any user data and I get the same response in the resolution center every time:

Hello,

Thank you for your information.

Regarding 5.1.1, we still found that your app provides services or requires sensitive user information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To resolve this issue, your app must be published under a seller and company name of a recognized institution.

For additional details, please refer to the update on the Apple Developer website about Ensuring the Credibility of Health & Safety Information.

I am sure there is no real human reviewing these apps because I did not get any real reponse yet. It all looks very automated which makes it so frustrating
I really wish there was an actual human who would go and check the apps, or at least read the appeals.

I am in the same situation! Built a news app and got rejected for the same reason.

News aggregated app getting rejected due to Covid articles
 
 
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