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Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

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Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#71

Post by sophacles »

chii wrote: post #14
shakna wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Last time I was looking into it, the DMCA required that the subject was taken down _before_ you did the verification of the claim. So the DMCA basically is required to be an automatic process.

as it is written, the DMCA strongly favours the accusing party, and there's minimal blowback from a fraudulent claim. It has got to be one of the worst pieces of legislation to have been written and enacted.

Not to mention anti-circumvention provisions that change the definition of "own".

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#73

Post by Liquix »

ravenstine wrote: post #67
the_pwner224 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google can also take your website out of their search results, or derank you a lot. That would effectively be a death penalty for many online businesses.

Fair point, though The Google's search matters less and less as the days go by. But the difference with websites is that there's always an alternative. If The Google decides your site is wrongthink or their superior AI intelligence flags your site for infringing on your own copyright, there are countless other ways to make your site seen elsewhere. Let's face it, nobody's going to sideload your mobile app without ins…

>The Google's search matters less and less as the days go by

The HN community is well aware that Google search result quality has fallen off a cliff and DDG's results keep getting better. But the vast majority of casual internet users still do (perhaps always will) use the former. The amount of people downloading APKs outside of the play store is as low as the amount of people looking up your business through non-Google search engines.

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#74

Post by Liquix »

Rakshith wrote: post #70

Well they recently unbanned my youtube/youtube music account too after writing to them a second time, its been about a few months without those accounts. They said it doesnt violate their policies after saying it did the last time. Are there any grounds to sue them for this?

Grounds to sue? No. A good reason to stop using Google products wherever possible? Yup

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#75

Post by [deleted] »

4cao wrote: post #59
capableweb wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So because the application can load a URL that can be loaded in any browser, the application should be banned? Time to ban all browsers then I guess... Besides, Google claimed that the application was collecting email addresses while the app technically couldn't collect email addresses. If they want to ban something, setup proper rules like "No browsers allowed" and then ban the apps under those rules, instead of try…

I'm not saying what they did was in any way justified, just providing context that seems to be missing from the reporting: to sideload e.g. SmartTube you need an app like this first, and it must be available from the Play Store. Google has an incentive to disrupt this under any pretense as it costs them ad revenue.

[deleted]

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#76

Post by ravenstine »

Liquix wrote: post #73
ravenstine wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fair point, though The Google's search matters less and less as the days go by. But the difference with websites is that there's always an alternative. If The Google decides your site is wrongthink or their superior AI intelligence flags your site for infringing on your own copyright, there are countless other ways to make your site seen elsewhere. Let's face it, nobody's going to sideload your mobile app without ins…

>The Google's search matters less and less as the days go by The HN community is well aware that Google search result quality has fallen off a cliff and DDG's results keep getting better. But the vast majority of casual internet users still do (perhaps always will) use the former. The amount of people downloading APKs outside of the play store is as low as the amount of people looking up your business through non-Goo…

> The amount of people downloading APKs outside of the play store is as low as the amount of people looking up your business through non-Google search engines.

Outside of software developers, that's pretty doubtful. Judging by how many non-technical people I've spotted using DDG, I'd bet good money that there are more of them than those who would be willing to install a mobile app outside an app store. Even software developers are paranoid about doing that.

Also, the point is that at least your site can be seen even if it doesn't appear on a search engine. A business can post hyperlinks on Instagram, Reddit, Tik Tok, blogs, physical ads, and so forth. There's an option with websites. With apps, there's really no meaningful alternative unless you're a big player, and even the big players have largely bent over for Apple and The Google and their respective app stores. Sorry, the incredibly vast majority of people aren't going to explicitly turn on the Android setting to allow installing apps outside the Play Store and then install an APK off some website, and for iOS this isn't even as practical.

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#77

Post by BeefySwain »

nikanj wrote: post #42
dakial1 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The didn’t send a warning or anything to give you the opportunity to explain the misunderstanding? Doesn’t that give you a good argument to sue them?

Only if you have more money for lawyers than Google

And are wanting to have all your Google accounts banned for life.

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#78

Post by 4pkjai »

mysterydip wrote: post #32
4pkjai wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I built the Android app in 2013, and my best selling web app in 2021. The web app has just gotten beyond the $10,000 USD monthly recurring revenue metric. About the same really.

Is your app something always used online? Is there a way to use the web app offline for those who are away from internet access but still want the functionality?

No it requires an internet connection to use my app. I could make an offline version, but it's not something many users are asking for.

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#79

Post by mcsniff »

4pkjai wrote: post #5

I had an app that was making about $10,000 USD a month. It was taken down by Google because apparently I copied some other developer's iOS app. I asked them to tell me the name of the iOS app they believed I copied. They named the iOS version of my Android app. They basically accused me of copying myself because the Android version was under my company's name while the iOS version was under my name. Google unbanned t…

Thanks for the fear-by-proxy ;)

I have an Android app published under a company name, while iOS is under my personal name due to the hassle of getting it published under a company.

Re: Google un-bans Downloader app, but developer still mad about “broken” DMCA

#80

Post by OkayPhysicist »

chii wrote: post #14
shakna wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Last time I was looking into it, the DMCA required that the subject was taken down _before_ you did the verification of the claim. So the DMCA basically is required to be an automatic process.

as it is written, the DMCA strongly favours the accusing party, and there's minimal blowback from a fraudulent claim. It has got to be one of the worst pieces of legislation to have been written and enacted.

In the case of a proper DMCA takedown (as opposed to something like YouTube's pre-DMCA report system), you can (and should) sue the person who issued a fraudulent takedown for damages caused by the takedown.
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