Of course you're at their mercy. This is the nature of using a third-party API. If you violate their rules, you have to accept the risk that they shut you down

Of course you're at their mercy. This is the nature of using a third-party API. If you violate their rules, you have to accept the risk that they shut you down in the future, even if their rules aren't optimal for your app's user experience. I recommend that you alter your product to conform to their rules, even if it makes your product a bit worse.