Petition to Google Play

[LucaMs]

Google Play has eliminated the developer account to an Italian member of B4X.

Other members have suffered the elimination of their apps from market, without reasons specifically indicated and no opportunity to correct their involuntary mistakes.

https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/wifi-transfer.48938/#post-304468


If you want, you can sign this petition.


Thank you

 

[WAZUMBi]

I feel I have to put my 2 cents in here. You will probably be surprised by (and therefore not like) my response but here it goes:

I too have a developer account suspended by Google.
The thing here is that I knew what I was doing. I am well aware of the developer guidelines, restrictions, and limitations set forth by Google.
I chose to push the envelope and test Google's patients anyway.

Google did in fact give me three warnings (by suspending 3 apps at different times) that they say were violating their content policies.
After each app suspension I chose to continue with my wary ways and guess what? On the forth violation they shut the account down.

Am I angry? Sure. Do I agree with their interpretation of my apps content? Not necessarily.
But I don't hold it against Google. It's their app store and they are providing a service to both developers and their Android customers.

They can set any limitations they want. It is up to us, the developer, to choose whether or not we want to take advantage of this service.
If we do then we must play by their rules.

I don't know your specific situation but my point here is those stories you read on the internet about Google just up and terminating a developers entire lively hood out of the blue without warning or reason are, for the most, part rubbish.

Google will simply suspend the app first. If you try to republish it then there goes another strike. If you try to publish a similar content violating app then there goes yet another strike. the general rule is three strikes and on the fourth one your out...

The one thing that I don't agree with Google on is this so called lifetime ban. That is a little harsh. I think maybe a 6 month suspension would suffice.
Their developer customer service is absolutely worthless also.

 

[LucaMs]

It's their app store and they are providing a service to both developers and their Android customers.

First of all its not a free service, they pocket 30% of the revenue.
Second, most likely they take advantage of their near monopoly to exaggerate in their behavior.

Third, they do not clarify well the violations in which the developers have incurred.

Fourth, they should check before publish the app, as Apple does, if I'm not mistaken.

Fifth, three minor violations and you are "sentenced to life", it seems to me exaggerated.
They do not distinguish between the different severity of the violations.

Imagine living in a big city where there is only one grocery store and the owners will say: "I'm sorry, but this is the third time that you forget to clean up your shoes before entering, now you can not enter anymore here ".

I think the rules are always necessary; but I also think that they should be fair rules.

 

[KMatle]

Could you be more specific about the reason? What content did you use / what was wrong with your app? Doing "bad" things will always lead to that. So it's not "another b4a user was suspended".

Google did in fact give me three warnings (by suspending 3 apps at different times) that they say were violating their content policies

 

[WAZUMBi]

Third, they do not clarify well the violations in which the developers have incurred.

Agree...
In fact, I gave Mobango praise for their outstanding service to me on a few occasions. If only Google play would follow...

Fifth, three minor violations and you are "sentenced to life", it seems to me exaggerated.

Agree..

First of all its not a free service, they pocket 30% of the revenue.

Not sure about the fees. I mean, they do deserve a cut from your profits. It is a business after all. All other app stores out there get their cut as well.
Goggle is storing, showcasing, maintaining, and marketing your app on the most popular and widely used/recognized app store in the world.
I think they do deserve something for this service.
I sell on Ebay and Amazon. You wanna talk about fees...

Fourth, they should check before publish the app, as Apple does, if I'm not mistaken.

Not sure about this one either.
Google is not trying to assess or qualify the value of your app.
They are not even judging or even determining whether or not your app is good.

They are leaving this up to the market to do that. I think this is good.
Case in point -
SlideME denied my app, Block Blaster, based on what they said was 'too simplistic'. Basically, to put it politely, they think this app sucks and won't publish it.
This app has done OK on Google Play, Opera, Aptoide, and Mobango so somebody likes it.
Point here is that I am glad they don't scrutinize my apps. Let the market decide...


For the most part I agree with you. Google play is pretty harsh on the developers and give little focus to service for the developer.
I do, however, think that with the emergence of all the alternative markets and stores out there, we have many other options.
Only recently did I start taking advantage of these opportunities.
Now I am getting more downloads and exposure from these other stores than Google Play.

By the way after my account was suspended I spent a few months revamping my website and now I (as well as anyone else) can publish whatever their hart desires...

 

[WAZUMBi]

Could you be more specific about the reason? What content did you use / what was wrong with your app? Doing "bad" things will always lead to that. So it's not "another b4a user was suspended".

Basically with this particular account I used to vent my 'alternative personality'.
I created several apps mocking celebrities and current political trends much to the dis-likening of many people.
These apps were suspended for violating Google's content policies.

One I even received death threats for. Whatever...
Personally, I think it was a conspiracy by Kanye West and Justin Bieber.

You can check them out on my website. Just search for myzumbi or celebs4u.
I won't post a direct link here because I recognize that some of these apps may be offensive to some people. I respect that.
If you go so far as to directly search for and install any of these apps after reading the description and viewing the images then, in my opinion, you can't say you were offended...

 

[KMatle]

Funny, but... so to me it is no wonder that your app/account has been banned Be careful not to have a accident Justin is watching you...

 

[Deleted member 103]

I have to wonder that so few people here have interest in this Google petition.
Since Sunday, 01/04/2014, has been around this thread and have so little involved. On Sunday for the petition still needed 70 votes and 43 votes today are still needed.
Where is the solidarity?

 

[WAZUMBi]

I signed the petition...

 

[KMatle]

Where is the solidarity?

I'm almost with you but I need more facts about it. In all cases I've read there WAS something wrong with the app. Ok, Google's reaction WAS hard (maybe too hard), but when I read "ok, there were 3 warnings which I ignored for weeks" or "ok, I used pics which I did not own" or "ok, the app was offendig people" or "ok, the app was collecting sensible data without the users permission" ...

Any further informations?

 

[Deleted member 103]

Any further informations?

Here is an example: Link

 

[sorex]

On Sunday for the petition still needed 70 votes and 43 votes today are still needed.
Where is the solidarity?

what will happen at 2500 votes?

they will send it to Google to receive an automated reply?

 

[Deleted member 103]

what will happen at 2500 votes?

they will send it to Google to receive an automated reply?

I do not know, but I hope that it will at least read by a normal person.

 

[sorex]

I hope so too but if they will change something is another question.

They will probably just refer to their license agreements.

Strange thing is that a lot of people and even companies got banned and claim that they didn't violated the agreements.

 

[Deleted member 103]

The problem is that all e-mail will be read by the robot, and you no possibility to place telephone calls with the support.
At Apple, something is not a problem. You can call anytime at Apple support and clarify everything.

 

[sorex]

Yeah, I noticed. I wonder how they can filter out copyrighted images and all that by a bot.

maybe they kick out everyone that's using another ad service than theirs

 

[KMatle]

Here is an example: Link

Non parlo italiano

 

[udg]

I wonder how they can filter out copyrighted images and all that by a bot.

Well, they know beforehand that what you're using is copyrighted material. After all you searched for it by their service...
When their spiders run on the web, they record everything so they know exactly where an image is from and whether it sports any copyright.

What they can't know is if you have any written permission from the author to use his/her work or, for that matter, you regularly bought it somewhere.

But soon cash will disappear and written paper too , so finally Big Brother will be able to buy and record data from credit card circuits and intercepts any communication.

And those are still not so dangerous uses of the techno-power...

 

[sorex]

well, just open the image and save it again and it's different and not having the copyright info (if it even has that)

 

[udg]

Maybe theirs super-servers don't limit themselves to file analysis..I don't know.
Anyway, too much power in a single hand it's always dangerous..