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

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

#751

Post by at_a_remove »

Thorentis wrote: post #317

This is basically the last straw for me. The past week has made it perfectly clear that Big Tech will close the circle and protect their own. Anything that appears to be censorship resistant, that allows the little guy to get ahead and compete, or that allows individuals to have greater levels of privacy and freedom, will be shut down and de-platformed. As was predicted in 1948, "hate speech" has just become a smoke…

As always, the Four Horsemen were acted upon first. Only this time around it is "actual Nazis" (not actual Nazis, no matter how much "literally shaking" was done). And who could defend that? (The ACLU, and the left, should have, we all should have) And complaining about it is obviously the slippery slope fallacy (or the camel's nose in the tent) so it can be ignored until it is just too late. And now there's a whole series of well-honed defenses ("it's a private company!" "go make your own!" "freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences") ready to back up these bold moves, along with the handily-set precedent.

Whatever shackles are being forged against your worst enemy, do not be surprised if they end up on your wrists at some later date.

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

#752

Post by Grollicus »

Arathorn wrote: post #597
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.

We've just published an official blog post updating on the situation at https://element.io/blog/element-on-google-play-store/ which we'll keep updated as things progress.

Did you think to maybe give your article a more self-explanatory title? It's harder to spread the message when the primary qualified source for this is titled "Element on Google Play Store" instead of maybe "Element (Matrix chat app) banned on Google Play Store".

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

#753

Post by sova »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #225
sova wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The infrastructure is run by private parties -- but since the advent of encryption it ought be possible to lay down some basic principles or precepts of the online denizen. "The Right to be Forgotten" is a strong step in the right direction, but anonymity sometimes makes people act rashly -- which reminds me of the need for Nettiquette. I believe the difficulty comes in guaranteeing backdoors for law-enforcement and…

Free software. Guaranteeing backdoors is a terrible strategy that should not even be considered.

I believe it was Franklin who said "The man who sacrifices liberty for security will get neither" (paraphrasing) ... however, it's not a common sentiment among law-enforcement officials who prefer quiet over creativity. You are right that it ought not be considered by sane citizens in a free country, but what do you tell the appointed officials that try so desperately to make it so?

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

#754

Post by sova »

kubanczyk wrote: post #497
boomboomsubban wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Free software. Guaranteeing backdoors is a terrible strategy that should not even be considered.

Parent is concerned what will happen in the world where we actually exist.

Merely outlining the main antagonistic forces to actual free speech -- I'm more concerned with the weird oligarchic relationship between tech giants and law enforcement that cookie-cuts the electoral process out of the equation ... is that what you were getting at?

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

#755

Post by sova »

userbinator wrote: post #95
sova wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The infrastructure is run by private parties -- but since the advent of encryption it ought be possible to lay down some basic principles or precepts of the online denizen. "The Right to be Forgotten" is a strong step in the right direction, but anonymity sometimes makes people act rashly -- which reminds me of the need for Nettiquette. I believe the difficulty comes in guaranteeing backdoors for law-enforcement and…

"The Right to be Forgotten" is a strong step in the right direction You mean "The Right to Rewrite History"?

Uh, yeah, as if youtube or any digital screen-based media cannot be instantaneously rewritten or shuffled between visits. Hello "memoryhole" (if you're familiar with 1984)

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

#756

Post by pmlnr »

Erlangen wrote: post #750
pmlnr wrote: post #721

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a significant difference there though: reddit is still a single, central entity. Matrix, XMPP, email, (and activitypub based systems, ssbc, and anything federated) could be connecting to one's own server. It could be a machine in my basement.

I don't see the difference. "Sync for reddit" a custom client for reddit. It was suspended for "hate speech". Then why isn't the official reddit app not suspended?

> I don't see the difference.

?

1. I install synapse (a matrix server) on my own machine. I install Element on my own phone. I connect one to another, and via the server to other servers.

2. I install a client that connects to reddit. Same reddit as everyone else. Same reddit as the reddit website.

There is a rather significant difference, isn't there?

EDIT addressing the 'hate speech' part, you are correct. If one reddit client is banned, all should be banned. But that is not true for communication apps, like Element.

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

#757

Post by pmlnr »

sneak wrote: post #724
qwertox wrote: post #552

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This jeopardizes every email, xmpp, matrix, etc; basically any 3rd party application. Except of course Google's own applications. Gmail, Hangouts/Meet/whatever-it-currently-is, Chrome. Luckily it's not possible to display illegal content with Google's own apps /s I remember when my nephew got groomed on Google Plus, I was way to naive to think that this would not be occurring in Google's walled gardens. But in ther…

The app in question wasn't suspended for illegal content, it was suspended for profanity.

That's ridiculous on it's own. I mean... got out on the street and listen to how people talk.

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

#758

Post by Shared404 »

m4rtink wrote: post #626
oji0hub wrote: post #555

Earlier quoted context omitted.

- Can I install my "favourite program" on Linux? Well sure, it's supported on X, Y and Z! - Oh but I'm on distro A. Oh sorry, that's not supported. But here's a post by some guy on some forum who says he made it work by doing a bunch of complicated things no one understands.

This is often no longer an issue thanks to Flatpak & Steam Proton built-in Windows emulation.

In addition, there's a significant subset of people who's only program they use is a web browser.

This is obviously quite doable with basically any distro.

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

#759

Post by seniorivn »

hutzlibu wrote: post #485
julienfr112 wrote: post #443

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually Ubuntu is not less usable than Windows 10. Ex on intel NUC - wifi on Ubuntu : out of box - wifi on windows : plug ethernet, install driver manually. Old printers works better on Linux, eg when driver do not work on windows 10. Libre Office outof box, Office : where is my key ? ...

"Actually Ubuntu is not less usable than Windows 10." For you and me maybe. But don't expect other people to have your standard of software choices etc.

for most people app selection on ubuntu is big enough to never need anything more only professional/rare software sometimes has no support/suitable alternative

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

#760

Post by tomstockmail »

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…

There are a LOT of channels unmoderated in the matrix directory that could have been reported, so this isn't surprising. I have abuse complaints emailed to your abuse address that have gone unanswered, so I don't believe that you're taking your terms of use seriously.

You can find my complaints in your inbox. It's good to know Google is taking action - will send the same complaints to them in the future since that seems to get more of a response from the devs.

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