Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store • Hacker News Board

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

#631

Post by LocalH » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:44 PM UTC

XorNot wrote: post #610

waheoo wrote: post #588

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I'm saying true libertarians have been getting ostracised by polite society for years now. I'm a massively left leaning libertarian, if it weren't for its consistently proven failures in practice I would be a commy. But here I am, over the years of commenting online I've been labeled a trump supporter, a Republican, alt right, white, male privileged, white privileged, racist, pseudo intellectual, biggoted, transp…

Aren't libertarians all about the absolute sanctity of private property over all other concerns? How is a pro-business ideology remotely justifying government intervention in the practice and moderation decisions of a private company? Wouldn't the rectification involve the government specifically dictating their business behaviour?

There needs to be a term for otherwise libertarian-minded people, who also understand that the platform should revolve around correcting the power imbalances between large wealthy organizations and individuals, whether those large organizations are governments or corporations. I don't see why we can't restrict the ultra-rich billionaires while still protecting the small-to-medium rich who actually did bust their ass to gain their fortunes.

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

#632

Post by ksec » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:45 PM UTC

pmlnr wrote: post #500

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.

This is insane. This jeopardizes every email, xmpp, matrix, etc; basically any 3rd party application.

I pointed this out not long ago. When will it comes to Email? How is mailing list any different?

And what about Chrome or Web Browser? Or they going to have built in Filter for website? Although without the reach of Google Search Engine having a filter or not makes no difference anyway.

But it is great they are doing it, the more the better. People were extremely supportive on HN not long ago about banning speeches they dont like on Internet. Hopefully they finally learned something here. They opened the Pandora Box and there is nothing anyone could do until the Pendulum swing to its limit before swinging back.

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

#633

Post by mrighele » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:45 PM UTC

drchaos wrote: post #601

mrighele wrote: post #440

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even easier, the website used by the PWA can end up on the blacklist of Google Safe Browsing [1] [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25802366

In the medium/long term, this would just train people to ignore those popups. Or to use a patched browser. There is simply no way to suppress content as long as there's enough demand. Somebody's always going to find a way to deliver. That's even true for really illegal stuff like drugs, copyright infringement or child abuse material, but so much more for content which is legal.

I was thinking specifically about PWA on Android. I don't think you can change the browser used in that case, and I could see Google decide that you cannot open a PWA if the website is on the blacklist.

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

#634

Post by notassigned » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:47 PM UTC

unethical_ban wrote: post #399

Don't forget that F-Droid is a thing, and Android still has at least that much freedom - to install your own software. Who would have thought 30 years ago someone would be saying "People can run any code they want on their computer" as a shocking thing.

Thanks for sharing F-Droid. Don't know how I've missed this so far

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

#635

Post by onethought » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:47 PM UTC

dvdkon wrote: post #543

onethought wrote: post #424

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

"Terms and conditions" often contain more than just restrictions on copying, they can have everything from arbitration clauses, through anti-interoperability clauses, to obligations that go directly against local laws.

That’s not what I was replying to. There are legit uses is terms and conditions... so where should they go?

The GP said software should be bought like everything else... but everything else can’t be easily duplicated and shared... so how will that work?

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

#636

Post by brnt » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:49 PM UTC

Arathorn wrote: post #472

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…

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.

Wonder if we can get Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp off the Play store like this as well. "Side effects include: sexual content and coups."

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

#637

Post by justaj » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:52 PM UTC

dewey wrote: post #627

justaj wrote: post #464

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are debug version apks available here: https://buildkite.com/matrix-dot-org/element-android/builds/... Click on "Assemble GPlay Debug version" (or "Assemble FDroid Debug version" if you don't have Google Play Services), then click on "Artifacts" and then choose your apk from there.

How is that a solution to the problem? Of course there's other ways to install software, just like you could build your own iOS app and sideload it with a certificate. If an app is gone from the store it's basically dead.

If I were to test the implementation of an app in my enterprise, then it would benefit me to cut down on the unnecessary dependencies. Being dependent on the Google Play Store has shown to be a liability in the past because there were moments where it became a single point of failure (as demonstrated in this thread)

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

#638

Post by black_puppydog » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:54 PM UTC

tom_mellior wrote: post #487

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…

Good luck! I hope you get this resolved soon. In the meantime, what is the explanation for the F-Droid version lagging behind?

Lack of resources, plain and simple. The f-droid folks are operating on a shoestring budget last time I checked, which is shocking for a project of such significance.

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

#639

Post by mrec » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:57 PM UTC

throwaway3699 wrote: post #296

mrec wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What they were talking about is giving up on smartphones and social media altogether That's incredibly encouraging to hear. It seems to be a common feature of "I quit Facebook/Twitter/whatever" accounts that once you break the immediate addiction there's no real urge to go back, so if this does happen it should have a decent chance of sticking. (And as a mobile refusenik I sometimes feel like the last holdout left,…

Assuming from the subtext that GP means they're wanting to give up because of (app)(?) censorship. Having a whole strata of society no longer participating in the conversation is not healthy. Politicians are now looking to these platforms to guide policy decisions, so anybody not on them has no voice.

Anybody not on them still gets to vote. If anything, I suspect that making these platforms increasingly unrepresentative will end up hurting pols who pay attention to them, by giving them an increasingly distorted view of public opinion. If you optimize your messaging for Twitter, an actual electorate is going to drop you like third period French.

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

#640

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jan 30, 2021, 1:57 PM UTC

Arathorn wrote: post #472

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…

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.

[deleted]