FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website • Hacker News Board

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#21

Post by itake » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:55 PM UTC

The developer is asking people to optionally pay for his app. From a tax perspective, the dev would owe taxes on this income, since he is not a not-for-profit legal entity.

Since these payments are considered taxable income, I am not sure why they would think they could avoid Google's rules just because they are a "small one-man shop".

The simple solution here is to add in-app purchases like every other "small one-man shop" and not ask for noncompetitive advantages and accept Google's 15% cut [0].

[0] - https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2021/03/boosting-d...

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#22

Post by Saris » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:55 PM UTC

encryptluks2 wrote: post #6

This is sad, but I do think I see the issue here. You are loading the website in your own app so it is considered part of the app experience. If you load the website externally using the mobile browser it shouldn't be an issue.

You can see from the screenshots that Google sent with the rejection that they have it loaded in Chrome.

Most obvious indicator is the 40 other tabs they have open in their browser on the top right.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#23

Post by maxwell » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:56 PM UTC

pengaru wrote: post #19

maxwell wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was glad they walked back on Dragonfly and (effectively) killed AMP. In the process they did lose me as a user of their free products though. And they lost me as a developer, I no longer opt for building with their tools, including Chrome, Android, Angular, GCloud, etc.

> and (effectively) killed AMP err, what? I still regularly get AMP links from news.google.com

I was referring to https://plausible.io/blog/google-amp

Discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27192685

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#24

Post by BelenusMordred » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:56 PM UTC

squarefoot wrote: post #18

Tell Google how you feel about that by searching "google app store alternatives", then installing Aurora Store. https://auroraoss.com/ https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS From the Aurora Store FAQ: What is the difference between Aurora Store and Google's Play store? Unlike Google's Play Store, Aurora Store doesn't track your downloads or the apps you use. We respect your privacy. Aurora Store is also unaffected by Google ma…

Always amuses me when using google to search for f-droid.

Google will always insist you meant android and show you those results instead, which of course is the play store version if it exists.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#25

Post by whocares2345 » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:56 PM UTC

Is there any particular reason the author paying rent via donations is different from any of us paying rent from our work? You decided to use Googles distribution platform and infrastructure while not sharing the revenue - fully knowing it is illegal in the Play Store to accept payments outside of the platform. Basically you attempted to steal the efforts Google invested in creating and promoting Android, it’s development tools and infrastructure - and they banned you for it.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#26

Post by itake » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:57 PM UTC

aboringusername wrote: post #7

This is absolutely outrageous and disgusting from Google. I cannot believe how at the rate the world is changing (pace wise, with each new technological breakthrough) the law simply cannot keep pace. We've allowed AI systems unfettered, unrestricted access to our lives. AI is being deployed with absolutely no oversight (Apple's CSAM comes to mind), I'm not even sure there are any laws at all. How can apple just deplo…

Can you please elaborate why you would think this is a mistake and Google should side step the app store rules applied to all businesses? This income is clearly taxable. The play store offers a 50% discount for small apps.

Is it because the payment is optional (and doesn't unlock new features) that make you think this should be except from Google's rules (and potentially taxes?)?

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#27

Post by legrande » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:57 PM UTC

Just so people know, the two dominating app stores are under scrutiny because of the monopoly they have on the market:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/app-store-competition-targeted-...

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/11/tech/apple-google-app-sto...

https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/11/22620454/apple-google-app...

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#28

Post by aboringusername » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:58 PM UTC

Phrodo_00 wrote: post #17

aboringusername wrote: post #7

This is absolutely outrageous and disgusting from Google. I cannot believe how at the rate the world is changing (pace wise, with each new technological breakthrough) the law simply cannot keep pace. We've allowed AI systems unfettered, unrestricted access to our lives. AI is being deployed with absolutely no oversight (Apple's CSAM comes to mind), I'm not even sure there are any laws at all. How can apple just deplo…

Why are you assuming this is an AI-driven decision? It looks like human intervention to me.

Isn't it safer to assume it is until proven otherwise?

A developer has their app removed, perhaps their livelihood, and Google can't be fucked to sign off who made the decision?

If it was a human I expect to know who, and who I can write to so it can be reviewed, by another human. I want to know how I can contact a human for support and not some useless AI chat bot that seem to be all the rage these days (looking at you Amazon...)

But yes, it's happened so much by AI you just assume these days...like a YouTube takedown for example by a bot.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#29

Post by TrianguloY » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:58 PM UTC

I'm not sure if this is written somewhere, but from personal experience: "you can't place a url whose content contains a direct link to a donation service (paypal, patreon, etc) nor in your app nor in the play store description".

Placing a link to a site which contains a link to another site with the actual donations links is fine...for now.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#30

Post by Siira » Fri, Aug 13, 2021, 6:58 PM UTC

sgtfrankieboy wrote: post #5

I really hope Epic wins the lawsuit against Apple and that the laws being announced in the US Senate/House get passed. I also hope the EU start pushing against this kind of stuff more. Apple and Google have too much control.

Which is why Apple’s volunteered to run on-device surveillance programs. Between their lobbying power and the holy grail of utter surveillance, the governments will never stand for the basic rights of the people.