Apple and Google put restrictions on coronavirus-themed apps in their App Store

guest · Mar 14, 2020

Apple puts restrictions on coronavirus-themed apps in its App Store
The company says coronavirus-themed games will not be allowed
March 14, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/14/21179993/apple-restrictions-coronavirus-app-store

In an effort to ensure the “credibility” of health and safety information in its App Store, Apple is tightening requirements for all coronavirus-focused apps, TechCrunch reports. The company posted a note on its developer blog Saturday that outlines the review process for apps related to the virus.

“We’re evaluating apps critically to ensure data sources are reputable and that developers presenting these apps are from recognized entities such as government organizations, health-focused NGOs, companies deeply credentialed in health issues, and medical or educational institutions,” the post states. “Only developers from one of these recognized entities should submit an app related to COVID-19.”
Apple also is banning entertainment apps and games that are COVID-19 or coronavirus-themed, the post states.

Membership fees for non-profit organizations and government agencies developing apps related to the pandemic will be waived, according to the post.
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ProTruckDriver · Mar 15, 2020

"Apple also is banning entertainment apps and games that are COVID-19 or coronavirus-themed, the post states."
Are you kidding me? Developers are making games COVID-19 related. What a sick world we live in. Thank you Apple for the restrictions.

Hiltihome · Mar 15, 2020

+1

guest · Mar 24, 2020

Google Bans Unofficial COVID-19 Apps — But Not Before They Score Hundreds Of Thousands Of Downloads
March 24, 2020
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...-coronavirus-apps-but-after-400000-downloads/

Google has been busy over the last month cleaning its Play store of a whole host of Android apps promising information on the spread of coronavirus. It’s had to do so thanks to a policy that prohibits any COVID-19 related apps that haven’t been approved by a national government or a medical institution.

But a Forbes analysis of 10 of those banned apps shows that not only was one linked to active disinformation, together they scored at least 400,000 downloads prior to being shown the door.
[...] creators of two other banned apps [...] did respond said they’d been thrown out because of the Google policy on COVID-19 apps.

“Specifically, we don't allow apps that lack reasonable sensitivity towards or capitalize on a natural disaster, atrocity, conflict, death, or other tragic event,” Google wrote.
It then went on to note that if the software creator wanted to get their tool back on Google Play, they’d have to show approval from a government body or healthcare organization.
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Apple takes hard stance too
Apple has a similar policy as Google: remove all apps that don’t have official government or healthcare-industry approval.
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guest · May 18, 2020

Google suspended a popular Android podcast app because it catalogs COVID-19 content
Part of a new Google policy
May 18, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/18/...dict-suspension-android-policy-demonetization

Podcast Addict, an Android podcast app with millions of users, was suspended over the weekend because it lists COVID-19 content.

The app’s creator, Xavier Guillemane, tells The Verge that on Saturday, Google suspended and removed the ads from his nine-year-old app because it violated a new policy for developers that requires any app with a reference to COVID-19 to be “published, commissioned, or authorized by official government entities or public health organizations.”
Guillemane’s app catalogs publicly available podcast RSS feeds, which he doesn’t control.

His app is free and relies on Google ads to make money, so when it’s demonetized, Guillemane also loses his income.

“This is the way I’m making my living, and already because of the current situation, our revenue has been really bad for the past few months,” he says.
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Podcast app developers, however, are just surfacing the content, similarly to a search engine, so they can’t necessarily filter out misinformation or individually screen every RSS feed and episode that populates. The policy might be well intentioned, but it’s hard to police.
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Here's the notification I got this morning... pic.twitter.com/UJF20ZnaPw
— Podcast Addict (@PodcastAddict) May 16, 2020
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