Real App removed from play store and fake apps stays
[deleted]
Posted Sep 28, 2019, 8:33 AM UTC · edited
42645
You were probably reported by your competitor multiples times and Google's dumb algorithm knocked it out because.... It's a dumb algorithm. See who's your biggest competition that's who might have done the deed
60
The Playstore team is trash, their appeal process nothing but a farce and the support we as developers get in return for the cut they take is non-existing. I can't wait until the day they are fined for this disgusting monopol they force us into.
And before someone again dares to comment here that we should not use the Playstore if we don't like it: if you think there are economical alternatives, you are frankly a complete idiot.
/rant
43
I guess this is what you can expect from totalitarian regimes. A lot of us may be okay, but as long as things stay the way we are, there will be a lingering fear among individual developers whether or not they will be the ones who fall through the cracks. It kind of sucks.
3
There are economical alternatives.
-10
You can't say that without providing which alternatives and arguments behind it. I honestly would be forever thankful if you can provide said alternative. But for a small developer with limited resource, I can't find anything other than PlayStore that sustainable for my apps..
1
It was a joke. Can't believe it wasn't obvious, holy shit.
1
I was mistaken, then. Sorry.
1
usually a competitor with complex reporting/review abilities can trick the stupid Google algorithm to suspend apps. Complex: either a bunch of remote virtual machines to login into with RPA and report your app, or an emulated network of devices from emulated locations, reporting your app. This is what small developers have to face, unfortunately, while google closes their eyes.
24
I understand that the competitor broke your copyright by copying your sticker images. But clearly you have also broken a copyright if you didn't take those photos of the actor or license the copyrights from the photographer. So it would not make legal sense for Google to reinstate your app, despite how unfair it feels. Were the competitors not taken down?
17
While you are probably right for others pictures of that pack, reading the full text does explains how the app is down because a competitor lies and commit identity usurpation.
And that they now have authorisation for that image + proof that the there was usurpation. Yet Google ignore the evidences as always as no way to have an human read those evidences that are too complex for a bot. (Or proof that there's actually no checks and just random delay to send the refusal mail)
4
Sorry to hear it. :(
1
Upvoting! Please keep us informed.
But I dont really understand how they can take your app down for copyright reasons, if your app is older than all those apps. I mean, its not possible to copy something if you were the first one...
16
Google bots doesn't make sense
2
Google business model started with targeting the "long tail" - which can only work with automation.
It worked while no smartness was needed and while Play store was a free-for-all.
But Google decided they wanted to restrict - for Doze and battery optimization and more Google control - and that is where things went downhill. Because Google does not have the manpower to handle these problems. AI systems only work as long as there is allowance for failure. But a system that deals with humans - if you use such an algorithm on that, that means you will be ruling wrongly and destroying a non-zero number of humans' efforts.
This is what is happening with Google. If a regulatory agency started charging them $10M penalty for every inconvenience to devs, it would bring change.
Until that happens, Google will continue to rely on obfuscation ln it's policies to misdirect, not address issues publicly, and hiding from problems. Or quietly fixing the cases which go viral.
This is the behavior of 3rd world corrupt governments or companies, which avoid systemic fairness, but choose to pay off the cases which gain attention.
My advice would be to create a medium dot com blog post, and post that link here.
If your link goes viral you will eventually get some attention. As Google seems to have chosen to outsource it's decision-making to the public - if something goes viral, they think it passes muster and worth addressing. Without this filter, vetting the problem cases may be cost-prohibitive for them.
I hope you get some traction on resolution of your case. However, even if you do, it will not fix the systemic problem at Google.
13
I can't understand what the fuck Google is doing, ban an good app without any clearly reason even they provided the evidence. It seems Google just listen your competitor then remove your app. Once again, f** Google, stop making true developer hurt. I wish I can upvote thousand times
9
I'm really sorry this happened
Did you google play account get terminated?
5
Only the app got suspended. My google play account is still active
10
Ah I see. I've upvoted your post. I hope this gets sorted out
It really is crazy what's going on with the play store currently
6
Thank you very much
3
something serious should be done about this. an internet petition or something, to at least be heard by google
5
Man your app is very popular among my friends
4
Sorry man google sucks. Switch to iOS, you won’t regret it.
4
Apple wouldn't have approved the app in the first place because of the obvious copyright violations and human review. Although, in my opinion that's a good thing. I'd rather not have the rug pulled out from under me.
8
But the other app is on the app store. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sticker-babai-telugu/id1448203553
Looks like this is a double whammy for that poor guy.
0
Then why is it mentioned badly here?
I'm confused.
2
Really it is very sad , don't forgot to send push notifications to user don't lose users .Write story on medium and tweet to @GgoglePlayDev and Pablo A. Martínez (@pamartineza) . Be ready for alternatives like develop another app all stickers expect they feel copies content and send push notifications to install. Have a luck
2
Any Google employees want to explain this farce? I'm talking about Android development as a whole not just this unsurprising incident
2
[deleted]
1
[removed]
1
Like google gives AF. They just have bots that take crap down and are super unforgiving about it. They can ban whoever they want for whatever they want and make up BS reasons for it. This is all part of their playbook to intentionally get things caught up in the censorship and then they can play dumb because "we randomly censor millions of people so this is all a coincidence." nobody will do anything about it. we bow before our google corporate overlords
1
On a tangent, but all these stories on this sub is really discouraging me from trying to develop and release an app. Is it really that prevalent to have your app arbitrarily pulled?
1
Dude! This sucks! I totally hope you get your app back on, and that the posers get what they deserve. In the meantime, have a taco! :P
1
Upvoting to get it to the front page and hope that google finally takes SOME action
TLDR:The app is in violation of copyright and Spam policies and so are all the other apps mentioned. The developer has a different account and have same content and same violations there too.
Copyright Violations:
If you look at screenshots, its obvious there are serious copyright violations.
Example: https://i.redd.it/aajs3itqnap31.png
These are all movie actors in local language mentioned (Telugu). There is no way a small time developer in India licensed from these actors. 99% of whatsapp sticker apps on playstore are in violation of copyright laws. Do you know why whatsapp sticker apps get so many downloads (mostly in India)? Because they simply don't care about copyright and have movie stickers and actors stickers.
The PSD developer claimed owned (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AFBMcGAMfWP_N-h-2F9GLaiyiNDUaIvR?usp=sharing) has Movie actors. Just because you created a PSD file with stolen images doesn't mean, you own the rights.
Spam Policy:
Here is the internet Archive of the app (Developer never gave the app link): https://web.archive.org/web/20190430095010/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.whatsappstickers.telugu
Note that the app description has every movie actor name in the local language. This against Meta data and spam policies of Play Store.
Also see the copyright mention in description. That is now how copyrights work. You can't claim people sent you copyright material to you in email.
Additional Violation:
The developers website now redirects to this new app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hashifytech.stickers
This is with a new Publisher account but same content? The app is also in violation of same copy right issues and and spam/metadata policies.
Edit: Edited with formatting and more details.
Hi androidclean,
Thank you for your time.
Let me also reply in this thread.
>> The developer has a different account and have same content and same violations there too.
Yes. Soon after my app got removed I have created new app with same content and released to play store because I thought I have not violated anything in terms of the complaint and also I don't want to lose my users. After reading some horror stories on web about copyright strikes and suspension of google play accounts, I have transferred my app to my other developer account. I don't think this information is needed for this post.
App transfer screenshot : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XZSa599hBX_KzvN0qYyhtbyP0I0fpVy7/view?usp=sharing
>> About Copyright Violations:
Yes, I agree to this point because I can't provide proof for each and every image I have used.
But this is how things work in Telugu films. The Marketing team of a movie freely distribute images for promotion to the media and those images (or stickers) were used in film websites, social media and apps. Usually the confirmation is done through mails like this.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15pXQoy1xzlrUjOLKhm05pIZC81lBJOPY/view?usp=sharing
Taking the same example image you have quoted: https://i.redd.it/aajs3itqnap31.png
The person's name in the first 3 images is Chiranjeevi a famous actor. Recently we have promoted his movie which is from his own production house. Mail from their Marketing Team : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dNC9vO2bDBKOYUN7Nc9zFamVw4kbtY4k/view?usp=sharing
It is basically an mutual understanding between the production houses and media and neither of them get in to actual agreement.
If it is not the case, 99.99999% websites, apps related to Indian filmy content had to be taken down from the web and play store. In my case, I'm only worried about my edited images with captions. Usually it will take 4hrs to edit 30 images with captions.
>> Spam Policy:
>> Here is the internet Archive of the app (Developer never gave the app link): https://web.archive.org/web/20190430095010/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.whatsappstickers.telugu
I have provided App id in the 1st line of my post from which we can easily get the App URL. I still didn't get what benefit I would get if I hide my App URL. I have added app id in the first line so that someone from google might notice it easily.
>> Note that the app description has every movie actor name in the local language. This against Meta data and spam policies of Play Store.
Our App really have the stickers of those actors and some of those actors have endorsed it through their tweets.
Example: https://twitter.com/IAmVarunTej/status/1172447113885564932
Could you throw some light on this? Thank you!
>> Also see the copyright mention in description. That is now how copyrights work. You can't claim people sent you copyright material to you in email.
As I said before, we cannot provide legal proof for each and every image used, I have added disclaimer to show our willingness to remove the copyrighted content. We have never received a single request for the last 11 months. (Sorry, I cannot prove this)
>> Additional Violation:
Already explained above.
Thank you!
Using multiple accounts to avoid a suspension is also a violation. Regardless of if you think you're right.
Disclaimers do nothing. It doesn't automatically make it ok. And if someone wants to ding you for copyright most of they time they will not follow the disclaimer and email you, they will just file a copyright takedown.
Just because there are other apps doing what you're doing doesn't mean it's allowed, especially in Google's eyes. It sucks but you have to play by Google's rules, even if you think they're unfair.
[removed]
Thank you