Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

Post by oji0hub » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 12:20 PM UTC

grishka wrote: post #458

oji0hub wrote: post #415

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Installing software outside of play store is technically possible, but if something contains enough hurdles, most people won't do it, which results in no users and a meaningless platform.

There aren't that many hurdles. 1. You download the apk 2. When you try to install it, it tells you it's from an unknown source and the installation was blocked to protect you 3. You tap "settings" and flip a switch to allow installing apps from your browser 4. You go back and tap "install". That's it. It's done. And you won't need to go to the settings the next time, it'll just work.

Post by dvdkon » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 12:22 PM UTC

onethought wrote: post #424

colechristensen wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, software isn’t special, you should be able to buy it just like you buy other things.

What other things? Do you mean not using copyright as the underlying control mechanism? how do you recoup your investment then when making software? wont everyone just pirate/duplicate it?

Post by eeZah7Ux » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 12:22 PM UTC

brettwilcox wrote: post #374

Arathorn wrote: post #3

So we got notified by the developer console at 21:45 UTC that the app had been suspended, but still haven’t had an email to explain why - it’s 02:24 now. Our assumption that this is due to someone reporting abusive content in Matrix to Google, and Element catching the blame — although this is currently speculation. To be clear: Element is a Matrix client just as Chrome is a Web browser, and just as it’s possible to v…

I'm testing Element and Matrix at American Airlines. There are big players with clout that take issue to instability such as this. How can I rely on my company using Element when it gets pulled? Not cool Google... To the element team, reach out to me if you can't get the support you are looking for.

Post by loceng » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 12:23 PM UTC

mysterydip wrote: post #511

Arathorn wrote: post #472

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We received a generic update at 05:31 UTC confirming that the app had been suspended due to abusive content (Sexual Content and Profanity: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ... ); we're following up to explain how Matrix and Element works and get this resolved.

Could this be related to all the WSB shenanigans going on? Banning their chat groups makes them move to another, repeat?

Post by exikyut » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 12:26 PM UTC

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #505

grishka wrote: post #458

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There aren't that many hurdles. 1. You download the apk 2. When you try to install it, it tells you it's from an unknown source and the installation was blocked to protect you 3. You tap "settings" and flip a switch to allow installing apps from your browser 4. You go back and tap "install". That's it. It's done. And you won't need to go to the settings the next time, it'll just work.

The main hurdle is that (without rooting) there doesn't seem to be a way for alternative app stores to silently update software. That's bearable though unpleasant when you have one or two pieces of software that rarely get updated, that's absolutely impossible when you have 10+ pieces of software - you'll sit there for 5 minutes just approving install prompts every week, which isn't something a normal human is going…