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Google removes Hong Kong protester role-playing app

64 points by bigpumpkin 7y ago

Konnstann 7y ago
From the article it seems like a reasonable take-down, a developer made a cash-grab app to capitalize on the controversy, which is against policy. If the app was made as a political statement, it wouldn't have in-app purchases IMO.
- CogitoCogito 7y ago
  Why shouldn't a political app be allowed to make purchases? Why does that make the app's political position any less legitimate?
  - Konnstann 7y ago
    Political protesters being paid is generally seen as a bad thing. It cheapens the message, especially when instead of a donation link you use tactics typically used by massive corporations targeting the weak-willed and children to do it. I'm not gonna get up in arms for it but they are clearly trying to profit from the controversy. The political position isn't illegitimate, the developer's motives are.
- chibg10 7y ago
  The app developer supposedly made $150 before the app was taken down. Hardly a successful cash grab. If people didn’t feel the app provide value worth the cost of its services, they can choose not to buy. What is Google’s place in the making of that decision? There is no reason to give Google the benefit of the doubt here. They’ve been making efforts to re-enter The China Market (tm) for years. [0] https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-pulls-hong-kong-cop-tracking-map-app-after-china-uproar-11570681464 https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-pulls-hong-kong-cop-track...?
enjoyyourlife 7y ago
This reminds me of the Bomb Israel and Bomb Gaza Apps Context: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict_in_video_games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_confl...
song 7y ago
The app is now available to install from the developers twitter account https://twitter.com/of_yarns https://twitter.com/of_yarns There's a link to the apk stored on S3. I've been playing it a bit, it's an interesting games with a lot of thoughts by the author on branching the story based on your actions.

64 points by bigpumpkin 7y ago

From the article it seems like a reasonable take-down, a developer made a cash-grab app to capitalize on the controversy, which is against policy. If the app was made as a political statement, it wouldn't have in-app purchases IMO.

CogitoCogito 7y ago
Why shouldn't a political app be allowed to make purchases? Why does that make the app's political position any less legitimate?
- Konnstann 7y ago
  Political protesters being paid is generally seen as a bad thing. It cheapens the message, especially when instead of a donation link you use tactics typically used by massive corporations targeting the weak-willed and children to do it. I'm not gonna get up in arms for it but they are clearly trying to profit from the controversy. The political position isn't illegitimate, the developer's motives are.
chibg10 7y ago
The app developer supposedly made $150 before the app was taken down. Hardly a successful cash grab. If people didn’t feel the app provide value worth the cost of its services, they can choose not to buy. What is Google’s place in the making of that decision? There is no reason to give Google the benefit of the doubt here. They’ve been making efforts to re-enter The China Market (tm) for years. [0] https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-pulls-hong-kong-cop-tracking-map-app-after-china-uproar-11570681464 https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-pulls-hong-kong-cop-track...?

enjoyyourlife 7y ago

This reminds me of the Bomb Israel and Bomb Gaza Apps Context: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_conflict_in_video_games https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Israel%E2%80%93Gaza_confl...

song 7y ago

The app is now available to install from the developers twitter account https://twitter.com/of_yarns https://twitter.com/of_yarns There's a link to the apk stored on S3. I've been playing it a bit, it's an interesting games with a lot of thoughts by the author on branching the story based on your actions.