AfterDawn: Tech news

Samsung's ad-blocker app is removed from Google Play Store

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 03 Feb 2016 10:33 User comments (11)

Samsung's ad-blocker app is removed from Google Play Store Just days after it was launched, Samsung's Android ad blocking app Adblock Fast has been removed from the Google Play Store.
The plug-in came from startup developer Rocketship Apps, and worked within Samsung's pre-installed mobile browser.

Google shut out the app for violations of the Developer Distribution Agreement, namely section 4.4. 4.4 states that apps and plugins cannot "interfere or disrupt devices, networks, or services of third parties."

Reads the email the company received:

Hi Developers at Rocketship Apps,
I reviewed Adblock Fast, com.rocketshipapps.adblockfast, and found that it violates section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement. This particular app has been disabled as a policy strike.
Just as a reminder, you've agreed to follow the Google Play Developer Program Policies and additional enforcement could occur if there are further policy issues with your apps.
If you've reviewed the policies and feel this rejection may have been in error, please reach out to our policy support team. One of my colleagues will get back to you within 2 business days.
I appreciate your support of Google Play!




Source:
Verge

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11 user comments

14.2.2016 08:48

Commies make the freakin things, so why not regulate it.

24.2.2016 16:26

Originally posted by Thugwave:
Commies make the freakin things, so why not regulate it.

The Chinese are socialist, not communist. Not even close to the same thing.

34.2.2016 17:30

Originally posted by Bozobub:
Originally posted by Thugwave:
Commies make the freakin things, so why not regulate it.

The Chinese are socialist, not communist. Not even close to the same thing.
What do these comments have anything to do with the takedown of Samsung's App?

Samsung is S. Korea and not North. South Koreans are a republic.

And while I don't blame Google for taking this down, as it violates their own ad services, it'll be a matter of time before that app is distro'd via the torrents and then easily download and installed as a simple .apk


Been there and done that with installing progs outside of the Amazon app store or Google Play.

44.2.2016 18:47

I was responding to a nonsense post, silly. Deal with it.

54.2.2016 20:45

Thugwave, what the heck are you ranting about?

Bozobub, mainland china is communist as that government is run by the communist party. also knockoff the name calling as not needed as bad enough that a certain somebody else does it so don't need 2 of you's.

64.2.2016 21:57

Originally posted by ddp:
Thugwave, what the heck are you ranting about?

Bozobub, mainland china is communist as that government is run by the communist party. also knockoff the name calling as not needed as bad enough that a certain somebody else does it so don't need 2 of you's.

First off, I don't consider "silly" to be name-calling, per se, but I'll take note of that.

Second, all of you are getting hung up on the name of China's ruling party. Neither China nor Soviet Russia are, or ever were, even remotely communist. Hell, The SOviets directly called themselves socialist in their country's name (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)! Socialism is defined as having strong central government, with state ownership of most industry and resources; this is directly anathema to communism (ownership by all and collective government).

It's a common misconception among US citizens, that socialism and communism are near-identical; nothing can be farther from the truth.

74.2.2016 22:06

I'm Canadian. read this https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=ssl#q=type+of+government+in+china

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 04 Feb 2016 @ 10:08

84.2.2016 22:44

I think you should google the definitions of communism and socialism, homes; the differences are quite stark.

Both the USSR (when it existed) and China expressed "true" communism as their final goal certainly. Even Karl Marx, however, said a socialist phase was necessary until this was attainable. And yes, both the USSR and China have claimed to be socialist, which they quite evidently are, by the definition of the term.

There has NEVER been a truly communist national government. Some tribal governments, however, have been pretty damn close, if not right on the mark. Personally, I doubt humans can ever attain a workable communist government, at least until we find another way to exchange goods en masse besides "money".

Strong, centralized government and state control/ownership of all industry and resources is probably the single biggest hallmark of socialism (and fascism, which goes quite well with socialism).

98.2.2016 20:04

That's pretty silly...an add-on gets pulled for blocking ads on ONE browser that only comes one ONE brand of phone, when anyone with an Android can download Ghostery for free from the play store.

Originally posted by Bozobub:

There has NEVER been a truly communist national government. Some tribal governments, however, have been pretty damn close, if not right on the mark. Personally, I doubt humans can ever attain a workable communist government, at least until we find another way to exchange goods en masse besides "money".

When someone says "money" they actually mean "wealth". You don't hear communists saying, "If only there was no paper currency, capitalism would die"...not even communists are that ignorant. So what you are actually advocating is not to get rid of money, but to get rid of wealth exchange. I have a chicken, you have money, we trade...that is capitalism. I have 5 chickens, you have a goat, we trade...that is capitalism. I have 5 chickens, you take them from me by force, leaving me to starve...that is communism. Be ware anyone who advocates the end of wealth exchange (basically anyone who is against money for reasons other than inflation fall into this group). They do not want fair, mutually agreeable transactions. They want theft, legal theft, but still theft...and when people stop producing what they know they cannot keep, then it always turns into slavery, usually with famine thrown in for good measure. Call it what you like...communism, socialism, fascism...it all ends up the same, every single time it is tried...and that includes the little island governments where everyone is a slave to their own stomachs. That is why the soviet union fell, that is why China is communist only in the ways even they admit are bad, and that is why North Korea makes Haiti look like Beverly Hills. If you truly believe in communism, sell everything you own and give the money to the government...that is what you want to force on everyone.

108.2.2016 20:20

Excuse me? "Advocating"? Provide the quote; you've made a blind assumption, and you also confused socialism with communism.

If you are worried that much about socialism, please feel free to stop using all socialist programs. You know:
- Police/fire/EMT.
- Libraries.
- Highways.
- Public Schools.
And pretty much every other social benefit we enjoy from our government, in fact.

Socialism is not communism; there's a reason the two words exist. Socialism is often lumped together with communism, because Marx and Engels thought a socialist phase was necessary to bring about "true" communism, that's all.

Additionally, I was very careful about what I said, and I meant "money", not "wealth", thank you very much.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 Feb 2016 @ 8:22

1110.2.2016 01:55

Getting back to the story, I think Google don't want their adverts blocked since they have switched from a search engine to an advertizing company that also does searches. (You will find their searches will show you results from their advertisers before relevant search results though)
I still lack faith in a company that changed it's slogan from "Don't be evil" to "Do the right thing" as I now think it means "Do the right thing for Google" not necessarily for it's users

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