Spyke

SD Maid terminated from Play Store due to 'Stalkerware policy' (Reddit thread)

This is ridiculous, and really a bad news for everyone as there's no way to talk with an human

Original source is unfortunately on reddit, which I can't link

news: https://libreddit.domain.glass/r/androiddev/comments/15xj0ow/dev_account_terminated_after_12_years_for/

https://libreddit.domain.glass/r/androiddev/comments/15xj0ow/dev_account_terminated_after_12_years_for/Open linkView original on feddit.it
kbin.social

The developer goes into the situation in a reddit thread.

I had got the same stalkerware policy. The problem was not the app itself but the description. In my case “friend” and “track” or “monitor” keyword can’t be used together.

If your app description includes “monitor” or “track”, don’t include any person related keywords such as “friend”, “people”, “human”. If not, google considers your app can monitor the somebody’s activity.

https://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/15xj0ow/dev_account_terminated_after_12_years_for/jx72w7h/

56
IdleSheepreply
lemdro.id

Google: Invests billions in AI language models

Also Google: can't understand words have different meanings

It's ridiculous how a well standing dev can just have an app removed with no warning or human investigation.

58
lemmy.ml

Google is the biggest stalker on the planet. Are they afraid of a little competition?

17

Stupid take to be honest, real people getting trafficked and stalked, domestic abuse victims being tracked for control by the abuser, and you think that's fine because google has that data about you even though nobody can use it so why shouldn't all apps be able to? Go to a women's shelter, touch grass.

This issue is far more nuanced. No it's not good Google has that data on you.

No it's not fair that automatons caused a small developer to have their entire amount destroyed without a proper review.

Both things can be true.

-2

I paid for that Pro through Playstore. There goes my purchase 😭

3

Idiot google policy banning a 12 year old account, which doesn't even violate its policy. Maybe something a human review could've helped to cross-check if it really needed a ban. Either way sucks for the dev.

21
ijeffreply
lemdro.id

It's the developer's original post.

16

I understand that, but for those of us who refuse to use Reddit, linking a trusted source about it is preferred

-19

In this case that's where the dev talked about what happened, so that's why it's original?

6
feddit.it

I also installed it from that repository, but maybe without a mainstream way to make money it might mean the end of the app... they banned the dev altogether with no way to escalate to a human supervisor...

Hopefully the bot in charge of appeals will reverse this...

5

Hopefully they can manage to sort this out somehow but I'd personally be more than happy to purchase a Pro upgrade another way.

3
feddit.cl

Just purchased the Pro unlocker last sunday, What happen in those cases?

2
Otterreply
lemmy.ca

I assume you can still use it as is, you just can't download it again from play store if you remove it

6
NNorAlreply
feddit.cl

Thanks, refund already requested but I also installed SD Maid SE from F-Droid in any case.

5
feddit.it

But the refund will only hurt the dev, not Google

Or Google will keep and pocket all the money from a suspended dev account?

2

Google responded, they say the refund doesn't justify more that 48 hours after the purchase, so they'll just keep my money. The idea was to donate the money directly to Darken, didn't wanted to let Google take it's commission. But I think I'll buy him a coffee anyway, I'm using the app since at least 2015, that's the least I can do after all.

3
charlesreply
lemmy.ca

You might have a point if it was the only way to access Lemmy but it's far from the only app available so I really fail to see how the prices are "abusive".

Nobody is forcing you to use Sync, or even to pay for any of the subscriptions/one-time purchases.

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SD Maid terminated from Play Store due to 'Stalkerware policy' (Reddit thread) | Spyke