Today Google launch a new YouTube app for kids call YouTube Kids, I have an app in play store almost for 1 year which have almost the exact same functionality with their new app (parental control with timer）but this is my own idea and not copying from anyone. （even there might some other similar apps out there) Today (same day their new app launch), my app was blocked and removed from play store by Goggle, I feel angry and unfair and I think the REAL REASON behide is because my app have the exact same functionality with their new app! How come a big company like Google can act like this!
Below is the reason: "After a regular review, we have determined that your app downloads, monetizes, or otherwise accesses YouTube videos in violation of the YouTube Terms of Service or YouTube API Terms of Service. Accessing content, a product, or service in an unauthorized manner is a violation of the Developer Distribution Agreement, and is not allowed on Google Play." So, if my app provide a "search & view" function to user, I need to ask every YouTube video owner's authorise? If this is the case, I think most of the developer can't use their API! And their API is useless. What make me angry is my app is in play store for 1 year but nothing happened, when they launch their app with the same functionality with me and they block me at the same day! What's that mean!? BTW, I read their TOS for few times, it's not so clear but I think I'm safe... But I'm wrong..
I dont know but that reasoning is very vague. It doesnt tell you the exact reason for the banning. "Search and view" should be fine in my opinion. But there must be some more reason for this.
Do you have ads on your app?, do you have screenshots of your app or can you post the APK to try it? (if that's a free app of course and you don't mind sharing it that way).
That's looks like their actually standard response for YouTube violation apps. I've read that same response on this community before and all over the net. Google just takes the pee when it comes to situations like yours @Hypnos. I've read about it happening before, and I'm more than sure that I'll keep reading about it happening again in the future. There are posts on here about ads and YouTube apps getting blocked from the Play Store. There's nothing that you can do about it, you should just have a nice cold lager and move on. I really really really do doubt that it will ever be aloud back onto the Play Store as Google are a pain in the rear end when it comes to getting your voice heard about your apps.
I make this app for my kid at the beginning and later I added AD to it to earn some little money just like all my apps.
do you have screenshots of your app or can you post the APK to try it? (if that's a free app of course and you don't mind sharing it that way).
I'm ok they ban me if my app violate their policy, but at least give me more details and clear direction.
I'm sure they banned you because of the ads, I don't know how you play the videos but perhaps you have yours visible when a YouTube video is playing. Read the YouTube Terms Of Service:
The ad just on the main screen and no ad will show while the video is playing.... Now I forget about google and focus on iOS.
This paragraph in their TOC make me think my app is ok and their reason also not related to AD for apple, they are not open but they let me know what I did wrong. "Showing ads on your website You can show ads on pages that display content retrieved from the API if certain conditions are met. For example, you can let users enter a search query (or retrieve a standard YouTube feed, such as top-rated or most recent videos) and show ads on the search results page."
