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

arstechnica.com

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

#51

Post by passwordoops »

ttctciyf wrote: post #43
PaulKeeble wrote: post #3

Its more that Google's implementation of the DMCA is broken. They have automated take downs and have a completely broken appeal process. They certainly aren't the only company failing to deal with the DMCA correctly. There are clauses in the DMCA specifically targetted at false claims, if those were enforced we might start to see a change in the system but as is the DMCA is misused too often.

> They have automated take downs and have a completely broken appeal process Before regulating AI, maybe we should consider regulating Artificial Stupidity.

ASS! Artificial Stupidity eventS...

I'll show myself out

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

#52

Post by 300bps »

4pkjai wrote: post #25
mrtksn wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So are the web apps having better returns?

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.

Looked up your submission history and found your site pretty quickly. Bravo, my friend - you created a service I didn't even know people needed and you're completely rocking it. Great job!

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

#53

Post by lolpython »

kordlessagain wrote: post #34
meghan_rain wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure why this is getting downvoted. It's an existential risk.

An existential risk is typically considered any risk that has the potential to eliminate all of humanity or, at the very least, kill large swaths of the global population. Being controlled by software restricts choice, while being wiped out by software eliminates choice altogether.

It’s an existential risk to a business’s survival

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

#54

Post by breakingrules »

meghan_rain wrote: post #15
datadeft wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is exactly the reason I would have never considered to build any apps. I have had couple of ideas but the risk is to big that a faceless corporation is going cancel your business without any reason and visibility.

Not sure why this is getting downvoted. It's an existential risk.

[dead]

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

#55

Post by kordlessagain »

bdavbdav wrote: post #36
kordlessagain wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An existential risk is typically considered any risk that has the potential to eliminate all of humanity or, at the very least, kill large swaths of the global population. Being controlled by software restricts choice, while being wiped out by software eliminates choice altogether.

I suspect you may be being a little too literal here. It is an existential risk to the software development house.

I agree and nothing I wrote conflicts with that assertion. The point is that it depends on the individual's perspective and the complexity of the issue at hand. Restricting choice is often an advantage because it saves us time in exchange for the risk of being (company, individual or humanity) wiped out by an exception to the rule.

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

#56

Post by breakingrules »

dakial1 wrote: post #38
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…

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?

[dead]

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

#57

Post by josephcsible »

kwanbix wrote: post #40

Companies that send DMCA takedowns should be financialy liable for fake/wrong ones. That way, they will take more time to think it trough.

Rather than a financial penalty, how about this? What if the consequence of a bogus takedown were that the work you own and claimed was being infringed upon immediately and permanently became public domain? (For takedowns where the lie is that you don't actually own copyright of the work you claim, that part is what's supposed to carry the penalty of perjury, so we should just start enforcing that.)

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

#59

Post by 4cao »

capableweb wrote: post #46
4cao wrote: post #45

I think there might be more to this story. This app is what people generally use to sideload apps on a locked Google TV device such as the Google Chromecast. One such commonly sideloaded app is SmartTube, an unofficial YouTube client with no ads and SponsorBlock included: https://smartyoutubetv.github.io/ I'm not surprised Google is eager to take it down under any pretext, and not so eager to restore it.

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.

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

#60

Post by the_pwner224 »

datadeft wrote: post #13
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…

This is exactly the reason I would have never considered to build any apps. I have had couple of ideas but the risk is to big that a faceless corporation is going cancel your business without any reason and visibility.

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.
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