Discussion Forums  >  App Store Rejections

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Shubhojit
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12/03/14 01:52 PM (9 years ago)

Android app suspended again for the same reason

REASON FOR REMOVAL: Violation of the intellectual property and impersonation or deceptive behavior provisions of the Content Policy. Please refer to the IP infringement and impersonation policy help article for more information. i made my own icon, screenshots are taken as it's viewed from my phone. and for the content part I have given links of everything so there's nothing to copyright. So can anyone tell which part is creating problem?
 
GoNorthWest
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12/03/14 03:07 PM (9 years ago)
I think you're going to have to contact somebody directly at Google and have them tell you which part concerns them. I've seen your app, and the ones you've modeled it after, and I've read the policy articles. I'm not sure what they're complaining about either. Mark
 
Intrege
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12/03/14 04:15 PM (9 years ago)
What was your app about? Also can you share with us a screenshot? Sometimes keywords in the description referencing an intellectual property could be it also. Google uses bots to check apps, and if something get's a red flag, sometimes it's viewed by a live person. I would put my money on a keyword in your description.
 
Dusko
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12/03/14 11:09 PM (9 years ago)
Let us dissect this part by part. -- i made my own icon, That still may be a source of problems, if you have taken a well known picture from the Internet, changed "from the inside" but did not change the name of the image. Google bots will see it as intellectual property that is "stolen". > screenshots are taken as it's viewed from my phone. That shouldn't ever be a problem in this context, but then, who knows what Google bots do? >and for the content part I have given links of everything so there's nothing to copyright. This is not true. Even if you had given links to the source of the material, it still does not mean that you can freely use it. You have to obey stated copyright for each and every item that you use, and even then, the story may not be over. At this phase, your app is only being scanned by Google bots, so it must be something "trivial", that software can recognize by comparing your stuff to something else. These are just my own thoughts on the matter, I am not affiliated with Google in any way, so you probably should contact someone at Google and see what exactly is the source of the problem.
 
Shubhojit
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12/04/14 02:33 AM (9 years ago)
@ mark: I have sent email to google play support for 3 times and got this reply every time --> "Thank you for submitting your appeal for app reinstatement. Further action is required, so read the following carefully. Please be advised that your app removal will only be reversed if an error was made, and a re-review finds that your app does not violate the Developer Terms or the Google Terms of Service. Google Play is unable to provide any pre-approval of your subsequently planned implementations, and you are asked to refer back to the initial, specific removals messaging if you would like additional details pertaining to the removal. Please be advised that any perceived compliance or non-compliance of other developers’ applications has no bearing on the compliance of your own Google Play catalog of applications. If you notice other apps that violate the developer terms then please flag the apps as inappropriate via the Google Play app, or you can submit a report via our contact form." No one even gave a reply to the context I wrote.
 
Shubhojit
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12/04/14 02:35 AM (9 years ago)
@ Intrege : Can you please gimme your mail id if you won't mind, so that I can contact you there
 
Shubhojit
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12/04/14 02:47 AM (9 years ago)
@dusko: it's a "live tv" app and i have given links of the freely available websites that streams the channel live. So how will that can be a problem and also if it is, then how will i know that i can use the link of that particular website. Just take a look with all this--> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livetv.newapp&hl=en https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.humair.hdlivetv https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iniya.android.livetv
 
Dusko
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12/04/14 06:48 AM (9 years ago)
>it's a "live tv" app a From what I have seen, Google is afraid of such apps, because these "free" sites are actually shoplifting their content from someone else. But that is only my two cents.
 
Paul Rogers
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12/04/14 07:23 AM (9 years ago)
"live tv"... I think that's the key @Shubhojit - TV channels are intellectual/copyrighted property, whether their free or not. Just because some warez sites are posting links doesn't mean that it's ok to use those links. A few apps may be a bit "stickier" on the app store than others, but eventually they'll be removed too if they have no license agreements with the channel owners. Do a search on the app store for a list of tv apps, then keep checking that search daily, there will constantly be new apps added and old apps removed. When you just do an occasional weekly/monthly search and see loads of results it looks like everyone else is getting away with it, but in reality they're not. I know - I've done it. You can tell by the app disclaimers in those links above that they're hopefully trying to cover their ass*s because they know they're stepping over the line. I'd guess you're using sites like thestreamdb.com, iptv-player.com, iptvm3u8.com, database.freetuxtv.net and other similar sites/forums? fwiw, try listing your app on app stores that have a manual approval process, like the samsung store or Slideme. They'll give you the definitive answers about your app that google never do. Or list your app on app stores that'll let you get away with it! Good luck!
 
Shubhojit
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12/04/14 09:52 AM (9 years ago)
Thats really disappointing. After making the whole app now if the conclusion comes up like this, then its really disapointing.
 
Dusko
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12/04/14 10:01 AM (9 years ago)
Here's a list of all popular sites for distribution of Android apps: http://www.onepf.org/appstores/
 
Shubhojit
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12/04/14 10:38 AM (9 years ago)
@dusko: thanks, will check that out
 
Paul Rogers
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12/04/14 10:39 AM (9 years ago)
Don't be disappointed! Just have a re-think. Android development always seems to be 'one step forward then two steps back' because google are constantly moving their own ambiguous goal posts. Radio apps seem to last a long time on gplay, and youtube movie/music apps usually last a long time. No guarantee they won't be suspended at some point though.. And other marketplaces, like opera, mobango, aptoide, yandex etc don't have many content checks... There's long term money to be made, but it's harder work than just submitting to gplay and waiting for the money to come in, and you can't rely on gplay to help you any more, unless you come up with the new flappy bird or something.. Btw, try to be squeaky clean on gplay, if you get 3 apps suspended you'll more than likely lose your account, and that hurts.
 
Shubhojit
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12/04/14 12:16 PM (9 years ago)
@paul: should i give a last try with any kind of changes in the initials i.e icon,description or screenshots, if it works. Just tell me if there's any kind of change i can do with those things i.e renaming the icon or etc.,that "may" help out for the last try.
 
Paul Rogers
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12/04/14 03:09 PM (9 years ago)
I can't recommend anything with any certainty mate, nobody on the outside knows how google really work! These are some suggestions that I've seen over the years on various forums/blogs - if they work or not is another matter..: If possible, get a new gplay dev account with no links to your current account, so you're not on their radar and can start afresh (because you're on their radar now). You'll definitely need to change the package name, apk file size and - probably - java file names and file sizes (ie more or less lines of code), that's tough with bt apps. As well as change images in the app. Basically, you need to change all previous footprints. Submit to a category like "demo's and libraries". Don't add a disclaimer that ain't worth diddly squat - in fact similarly worded worthless disclaimers are a nice big footprint for google to find dubious apps. Use all new icons and screenshots with different names, put in a minimal description and promote the app outside of google play, like drive traffic via youtube, facebook, twitter etc. Even then your chancing your luck. And if you can drive traffic successfully, you may as well do it on another app marketplace where your app won't get pulled and you can go with app volume without any stress. Aptoide is pretty good - in fact you may have heard of f-droid market? That's a big and well known marketplace in itself, but it started out as just an Aptoide repository. Good luck!
 
Shubhojit
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12/05/14 02:52 PM (9 years ago)
@paul: thanks for that
 
Higgey
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12/08/14 07:52 AM (9 years ago)
Paul, Which sites, other than Google Play, are you finding it worthwhile to submit android apps to, please? -- John
 
Paul Rogers
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12/08/14 08:32 AM (9 years ago)
Hi @Higgey, Definitely Samsung. For me, it's almost as good as gplay now. It's manual approval too, so any problems with the app get spotted and reported before it's approved. Mobango's pretty steady. I do quite well with "how to" type apps. Amazon is good. If your app meets their criteria - hd screenshots, amazon ads integrated etc, you get 500k free ad impressions on their ad network for each approved app. If the app meets the criteria it's automatically approved for the ad impressions. And they do one off offers like guaranteed epm on their ad network for a month. Installs definitely improve once you get the ad impressions. Opera gets quite a lot of installs over the first few days but fades away after a week or so. Good for quickly getting some installs. Aptoide is good if you're an approved dev. No big deal to get approved. It'll get your apps extra exposure outside of your own aptoide repository. Getjar is sort of ok, not big downloads - around 2000 a month across multiple apps, but it's pretty steady over a long period of time. Those are the best for me. There is another one - mobile9 - I get huge download figures, currently around 750k, but earnings don't equate to what I should be getting from the amount of downloads. Still undecided... No guarantees on any of them though!
 

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