Google changed their Play Store Policies recently. One of the changes was that apps must not impersonate other apps or system apps and that users should be not jump to the wrong conclusion and assume an app is officially supported by someone else by virtue of it's name, icon or content. Well, that's what I understand from the policy documents - to someone who isn't a lawyer, they might as well say: "look, just don't do this sort of thing or something that might be a bit like that".
So, vagueness aside, Google sent me a warning saying that my app violates someone's intellectual rights. Not too hard to guess that it's Google.
I'm assuming therefore that the icon and the name as for too "Chrome"y for Google's liking and things need to change.
So "CMarks" is here now. The logo was actually one of the runner-up logos when we had the online vote that found the previous chrome-y logo.
Unfortunately, Bug G doesn't provide any communication, so I can't be sure that the logo and name were the *only* things Big G doesn't like. For all I know, they might not like the idea of something other than their approved software syncing or touching their chromesync service.
So if the app disappears in the next week, it'll be because Big G has suspended the app and my developer account. In which case, it's been a fun ride and thanks for the fish!
Otherwise, if the app is still on the Play Store this time next week, we're probably good to stay! Whcih is good, as I've tons of stuff to add to it!
They should treat developers better than they do thats for sure.
ReplyDeleteHi Dennis - good to hear from you!
ReplyDeleteI agree completely.
To be honest, I understand the reason they made the changes to the policy and that if they need to stop people with malicious apps impersonating system apps then they need to do the same with other apps. Though it will be interesting to see what happens with all the Twitter apps out there - will they change logos within the next couple of weeks, and if not, that indicates this is more about Google protecting their own.
See also http://www.pocketables.com/2012/08/effects-of-google-play-policy-changes-starting-to-pop-up.html
Changing the name and the icon is annoying, but I'm more annoyed by the fact that Google has no way for me to contact anyone about this at all. I have no way of knowing if I've fixed the violations or not until they suspend my account and then it's too late. Since Google sent me a mail including the words "serious" and "termination", I would have hoped they would have a way to contact someone to discuss this further.
Grrr...!