Google is Purging Ad-Blocker apps from the Play Store

[jhawkkw]

It looks like Google has taken a stance against ad-blocker apps. Here is an example e-mail their sending out to developers of them:

This is a notification that your application, Ad Blocker ★ Root ★, with package ID com.jrummy.apps.ad.blocker, has been removed from the Google Play Store.

REASON FOR REMOVAL: Violation of section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement.

After a regular review we have determined that your app interferes with or accesses another service or product in an unauthorized manner. This violates the provision of your agreement with Google referred to above.

All violations are tracked. Serious or repeated violations of any nature will result in the termination of your developer account, and investigation and possible termination of related Google accounts. If your account is terminated, payments will cease and Google may recover the proceeds of any past sales and/or the cost of any associated fees (such as chargebacks and transaction fees) from you.

If your developer account is still in good standing, you may revise and upload a new instance of the application that is compliant with the developer terms. Before uploading any new applications, please review the Developer Distribution Agreement and Content Policy.

If you feel we have made this determination in error, you can visit this Google Play Help Center article for additional information regarding this removal.
The Google Play Team
​

I find it understandable since it's their/many developer's main revenue source, but I personally am not a fan.

Source: Droid-Life

 

[Rush]

They are the boss.

 

[jhawkkw]

I wouldn't say I'm upset, but but sometimes ads are so intrusive that I find it necessary to have one; especially when browsing the web on desktop mode.

 

[jackdubl]

With Google kicking all of the ad blocking apps out of the play store, how will we get updates to AdAway and other apps? Keep us posted if you find future links.

 

[EarlyMon]

:banghead:

Add to management change at Google.

 

[nsciucco]

Well.. Title says it all


Google takes harsh stance against ad-blocking apps, removes them from Play Store http://phandroid.com/?p=117943

 

[jhawkkw]

:banghead:

Add to management change at Google.

Coincidence? Probably not.

 

[xstefen]

The app will still update as the sources have nothing to do with google. And the apps will be out still, just not on the play store. I personally cannot stand a half page add blocking a game or settings im trying to use. So... Backup ur AdAway apk now or find the dev source for download

 

[Prinny]

Interesting find, thanks.

While I understand that dev's use advertisements to make money, sometimes the ads can be a bit intrusive...

So I guess time will tell how these changes play out...Some apps with a little ad at the bottom is fine, but then the ones where it takes you to a full screen ad...well that's a bit much, IMO...

Thanks for the information though.

 

[xploPR]

Removed from playstore but not from my device lol

 

[xstefen]

Andy Rubin Steps Down As Chief of Google Android - Slashdot

Also... That email went to JRummy Apps, I use their ROM Toolbox Pro, which has Ad Blocker built into it, im curious to see how this all plays out or if my favorite tool is going to lose a feature [that i dont use, AdAway FTW!] eventually in its 'quarterly?' update :smokingsomb:

 

[Gmash]

That sucks. Let's hope they don't take away the ability to side load apps next.

 

[Rxpert83]

I thought I read they wouldn't work on future versions of android anyway.

Not really surprised to see them pulled, but they will be accessible on other markets until phased out entirely

 

[ron scubadiver]

Symbolic. Those with rooted phones will simply side load these.

 

[EarlyMon]

I thought I read they wouldn't work on future versions of android anyway.

Not really surprised to see them pulled, but they will be accessible on other markets until phased out entirely

That was for the non-rooted solution, that didn't involve parsing /etc/hosts before DNS, the way root solutions do.

If they try to cut out /etc/hosts processing, then that will be a major departure from how all *nix operates and a very, very bad thing.

 

[iowabowtech]

"Here at Google, we are all about choice generally allowing choice unless it cuts into our admob revenue."

Thanks,
The Management

 

[EarlyMon]

Google management takes the lead as the most relevant Android competitor ever.

 

[Prinny]

That was for the non-rooted solution, that didn't involve parsing /etc/hosts before DNS, the way root solutions do.

If they try to cut out /etc/hosts processing, then that will be a major departure from how all *nix operates and a very, very bad thing.

Honestly, if it gets that bad...maybe I'll jump ship to a windows phone ;D

Nah. I'll just keep the old versions of android, where its still *nix and not...GoogleOS. i have a feeling that's the direction its headed.

 

[Kaiser17]

By removing these apps they're going against what they stand for.. with Android we're given the freedom to do what the hell we want to with it without them doing anything about it because Android is open source..

Anyways I have Ad Away on all my phones so im good. Removing Ad Blocking apps from the market wont do anything because the smart Android users will just download the APK's from other sources.

I wonder what else they will soon be getting rid off.

 

[Rxpert83]

By removing these apps they're going against what they stand for.. with Android we're given the freedom to do what the hell we want to with it without them doing anything about it because Android is open source..

Im not sure them being open source has anything to do with it.

But I agree, android is about choices. One of those choices is to use other markets for that app

 

[EarlyMon]

Open source will be the only hope if they start mucking about with domain name resolution and any other parts of the network stack.

 

[SamuraiBigEd]

This is what really stood out to me:

...Google may recover the proceeds of any past sales and/or the cost of any associated fees (such as chargebacks and transaction fees) from you.

Granted I have been out of the legal business for a long time but if we have gotten to the point that a company can do this without a trial then we are truly living in the "United Corporations of America"!

 

[Stuntman]

This move by Google doesn't bother me. Either I don't find the ads very intrusive or I get the paid version that is ad free.

 

[mikedt]

:banghead:

Add to management change at Google.

I think so.

Thing is Google is an advertising company, that's how they make most of their revenue. After all there's Ads by Google, AdSense, DoubleClick and AdMob, they're all Google. Evidently they have no longer have a desire to be distributing software that blocks their own advertisements.

 

[EarlyMon]

In addition to apps, from which devs and more so Google make a lot of money, there's the web, too.

I adblock my desktop browser. To do that on Android, I either need to restrict my choice of browser or adblock my device.

And, I far prefer to not waste my mobile browsing time and resources with ads.

That hurts Google, not devs, but it's all the same thing - Google isn't a software company, they're an advertising company.