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Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#21

Post by scarface74 »

nocturnial wrote: post #10
leppr wrote: post #8

I've long wished there was a more encompassing alternative to F-Droid, which would include the same payment facilities as Google Play (paid app, in-app payments, subscriptions), allow proprietary apps (but still give FOSS as a search filter and show it as a prominent feature on the app page), and offer plenty of user curation features ala Steam and make filters optional (which would allow communities of independent r…

Epic games tried to side step google: > When Fortnite launched on mobile in 2018, Epic Games very notably sidestepped the Google Play Store and pushed users to download the title directly from their website, an effort made to avoid the substantial revenue cuts that Google takes from in-app purchases of Play Store downloads. After 18 months of harsh rhetoric regarding platform gatekeeping, Epic Games says that Fortnit…

And Epic conveniently forgot to mention the part about the security warning being well deserved when it came to Fortnite...

https://www.cnet.com/news/fortnites-battle-royale-with-andro...

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#23

Post by scarface74 »

sschueller wrote: post #14
leppr wrote: post #8

I've long wished there was a more encompassing alternative to F-Droid, which would include the same payment facilities as Google Play (paid app, in-app payments, subscriptions), allow proprietary apps (but still give FOSS as a search filter and show it as a prominent feature on the app page), and offer plenty of user curation features ala Steam and make filters optional (which would allow communities of independent r…

Someone needs to take this to the EU courts and force google (and apple) to allow the use of alternate app stores that are not technically hindered. It was done with Windows and Explorer so I don't see why this is any different.

Alternate app stores have been allowed on Android since day one.

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#24

Post by [deleted] »

rootusrootus wrote: post #18

Since Google is taking such a strong position against what they view as COVID19 misinformation, are they liable if I get sick as a result of some misinformation that managed to get through their filters? I might not try to go after some small time app developer or other rando on the Internet, but if Google is willing to stand behind their guarantee with those wonderfully deep pockets...

[deleted]

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#25

Post by webartifex »

cryptoquick wrote: post #5

Google is just such an awful, despicable company, that I've actually moved everything I can from their platform. It wasn't easy, I'd been a Gmail user for nearly 15 years. I'd rather pay Microsoft a hundred bucks a year than support them. That's how much I hate Google.

Agree.

I am using the German email provider mailbox.org They even report how often the government forces them to release info with a search warrant.

However, I have yet to find an email provider that mimics Gmail's tagging system (=> you can give n many tags to a single email and that email is only kept once on the server).

I often think that Google's "Don't do evil" motto is stretched way too often these days.

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#26

Post by zaroth »

scarface74 wrote: post #21
nocturnial wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Epic games tried to side step google: > When Fortnite launched on mobile in 2018, Epic Games very notably sidestepped the Google Play Store and pushed users to download the title directly from their website, an effort made to avoid the substantial revenue cuts that Google takes from in-app purchases of Play Store downloads. After 18 months of harsh rhetoric regarding platform gatekeeping, Epic Games says that Fortnit…

And Epic conveniently forgot to mention the part about the security warning being well deserved when it came to Fortnite... https://www.cnet.com/news/fortnites-battle-royale-with-andro...

That article reads like propaganda for Google Store.

> That's because Fortnite isn't available through Google's Play Store. Epic instead chose an unorthodox -- and more dangerous -- route for the game's fans. Rather than download it through the official Google app store, players need to download the game and "sideload" the app on their Android devices instead. That Epic is allowed to do this underscores why Google's Android often gets knocked for its security chops.

No wonder they ultimately folded and came back into the “protection” [racket] offered by Google Play with PR like this coming to bear.

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#27

Post by searchableguy »

scarface74 wrote: post #23
sschueller wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone needs to take this to the EU courts and force google (and apple) to allow the use of alternate app stores that are not technically hindered. It was done with Windows and Explorer so I don't see why this is any different.

Alternate app stores have been allowed on Android since day one.

Not really. You need to be root to have the same experience as playstore - namely auto updates.

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#28

Post by unethical_ban »

scarface74 wrote: post #23
sschueller wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone needs to take this to the EU courts and force google (and apple) to allow the use of alternate app stores that are not technically hindered. It was done with Windows and Explorer so I don't see why this is any different.

Alternate app stores have been allowed on Android since day one.

Getting F-Droid is not "hard" but it isn't easy, and IIRC Google's Android gives off warnings. (Also it isn't as refined as the Play Store).

I believe the parent was suggesting, like with Windows/IE decades ago, that Android phones may have to come with a prompt to enable alternative stores to Play.

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#29

Post by derekp7 »

scarface74 wrote: post #23
sschueller wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone needs to take this to the EU courts and force google (and apple) to allow the use of alternate app stores that are not technically hindered. It was done with Windows and Explorer so I don't see why this is any different.

Alternate app stores have been allowed on Android since day one.

But only if you set a security flag to "allow anything to be installed". I want a security flag that says "allow apps from sources signed by the following keys", where I can import app store keys from the app store(s) of my choosing. So I'm still protected, as long as I trust those app stores that I import.

Re: Google bans my events app for referencing Covid-19, or related terms

#30

Post by scarface74 »

zaroth wrote: post #26
scarface74 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And Epic conveniently forgot to mention the part about the security warning being well deserved when it came to Fortnite... https://www.cnet.com/news/fortnites-battle-royale-with-andro...

That article reads like propaganda for Google Store. > That's because Fortnite isn't available through Google's Play Store. Epic instead chose an unorthodox -- and more dangerous -- route for the game's fans. Rather than download it through the official Google app store, players need to download the game and "sideload" the app on their Android devices instead. That Epic is allowed to do this underscores why Google's…

Those security issues would have been rendered moot by the sandbox if they went through the Play Store.

But really? That's the card you're going to play? That "every app has security issues" so this is okay?

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