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Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

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Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#201

Post by mc32 »

fauigerzigerk wrote: post #122
random32840 wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may be automated based on frequency of reports, but either way this is unlikely to be company policy. The people who make these decisions are relatively low-level employees following a company guidebook. The guidebook says it has to go? It has to go. The employee doesn't want to get fired. I doubt it'll stick.

>...but either way this is unlikely to be company policy Perhaps you haven't seen the article because it's behind an Apple News link. There's a screenshot of a message stating company policy as follows: "Pursuant to Section 8.3 of the Developer Agreement and the Enforcement policy, apps referencing Covid-19, or related terms, in any form will only be approved for distribution on Google Play if they are published, com…

We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. With new diseases or any new phenomena knowledge changes frequently. Oftentimes official organs are lagging and independent voices are at the forefront and have the freshest information.

Unfortunately both of the above can have counter agenda (could have good intentions such as calming hoarding), even worse is that you can have kooks, active disinformation, lulz, etc. There is no good answer to this.

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#202

Post by tcharlton »

milofeynman wrote: post #70

Google should be more careful about banning high ranking/rated apps. It looks anti-competitive considering they want more people using Google podcasting app. I'd like to think this was an accident somewhere down the chain and will be remedied in the morning. I love the app and hope it gets sorted out.

It's been 2 days, How long do we wait until we conclude it isn't an accident?

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#203

Post by codeddesign »

101404 wrote: post #188
jimmySixDOF wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can try Pocket Casts [1] who are my favorite and only Of course that's assuming that they don't get the same play store treatment from GOOG It's a little too ironic that Goggle, who has countless times made the argument that they aren't responsible/liable for what their users do on a service ("honestly senator its just a platform we provide"), and then here they are the ones calling for some downstream accountabi…

Or you can just not drop an app that just became the victim of corporate censorship.

Why is this topic not coming up more often? There is heavy censorship in play here at the same levels as China and Russia.

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#204

Post by tcharlton »

salicideblock wrote: post #46
northern-lights wrote: post #27

The only Podcast app worth using. I hope Google understands the slippery slope they are treading and its implications and consequences.

I disagree, I was on Podcast Addict and then moved to Pocket Casts and did not look back. Podcast Addict's UI was a bit too full for the simple use I do of podcasts.

It was (is?) a great podcast app for power users.

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#205

Post by sp332 »

gitgud wrote: post #191
gundmc wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What makes you think this is something other than another (awful) high profile case of automation gone wrong?

Surely Google's automated tools wouldn't automatically suspend an app that has 5 stars and over 500,000 reviews .... surely

There have been too many cases of a popular app being bought by scammers and repurposed. They can't exempt an app from being suspended just because it's popular.

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#206

Post by kleiba »

thu2111 wrote: post #108
Tepix wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a lot of pressure on the large tech companies to stop spreading misinformation. This is one of their measures.

In the USA? The pressure comes entirely from their straight-from-college activist workforce, with nothing to do and no vision to aim for they've degenerated into constant virtue signalling of the form "we are so intelligent, we must use our intelligence to save the world from bad people/republicans". Google didn't used to be like this. Remember the glory days of organising the world's information, to make it universa…

Back when most people who worked there were adults

Are you aware of the fact that Google was literally founded by two college kids?

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#207

Post by sp332 »

laumars wrote: post #34
square_usual wrote: post #11

This is like Google banning the YouTube app from the play store for having videos about covid that aren't from government sources. Insane stuff.

That’s an interesting example because YouTube are also removing COVID-19 content from some disreputable sources. To be clear: I’m not defending Google, I also don’t agree with the podcast takedown.

But they're not asking the podcast hosts to remove the content. They're penalizing a podcast player app, which has no ability to remove bad content.

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#208

Post by orbifold »

I used to think the internet was this great place resistant to censorship and government intervention. Instead you now have to tip-toe around and every comment ist tied to your real identity forever. At least I‘m using Apple, so pissing off Google won’t mean I can’t use electronic payments.

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#209

Post by jbj »

m4rtink wrote: post #153
amenod wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean? Pinephone is alive and well and you can get your own Linux "toy" for $150. Can't say much about Librem 5, but afaik they are also shipping.

You can also get officially supported Sailfish OS on a couple Xperia devices: https://jolla.com/sailfishx/ Perfectly suitable for daily use, typing from such a device just now. :) IIRC there is a community port for PinePhone as well.

Sailfish is pretty great and I wish them all the best, I did find myself in need of a few features while using it, one thing being their web browsers lack of usb access for devices like yubikeys: https://together.jolla.com/question/213458/usb-2fa-support-i...

Re: Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

#210

Post by indymike »

the-real-jap wrote: post #145
indymike wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So? That pressure is unconstitutional in the US and should be ignored completely and resisted utterly.

How is it unconstitutional? Google/Youtube is not a neutral carrier and can pick what gets broadcasted - just like Fox or CNN. For the record: as a paying Podcast Addict user, I think this is a shitty action by Google. I just don't see how it is unconstitutional. NB. I hope something good comes out of this, like more people discovering and using third party app stores, or being able to run apps on android auto even i…

The pressure from the government is unconstitutional.
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