12 ms·

Tell HN: Google deleted my developer account

55 points by mandeepj 5y ago

Google deleted my developer account, just because my game has 'new' in the game title. I think it's an atrocity.

jetsetgo 5y ago
johnwheeler 5y ago
What do you mean? Can you elaborate? Are you not allowed to have “new” in the title? Why not? So many questions…
- mandeepj 5y ago
  Please check "Examples of common violations in app title, icon, or developer name" at https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9898684#zippy=%2Cexamples-of-common-violations-in-ratings-and-reviews%2Cexamples-of-common-violations-in-app-title-icon-or-developer-name https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ... They sent me very obscure messages about non-compliance. It took me a while to figure out the problem.
  - sdoering 5y ago
    So Google has forbidden the use of "New" in the title of an app. OP used "New" in title of an app and now complains about Google enforcing the clearly stated rules? This has nothing to do with the question if Google should have the right to set these rules. If the are somewhat like a monopoly in the app market (at least for Android) or of any (maybe rightly to make) argument against Google's businesses practices. As far as I can learn from the posting and one comment Google not only has every right to shut down the account, but must do so not to ensure that others would point this out as an example and argue for their apps to be allowed these words in the title. And that would probably make the whole crappy app store even worse for the end user/consumer.
    - cbarrick 5y ago
      If "new" is not allowed in the game's title, then delist the game. That seems like a fair and justified reaction. Deleting OP's developer account is neither fair nor justified.
      - sdoering 5y ago
        As can be seen in sister thread OP had two warnings already. So deleting the account was the third strike. It did not came as a surprise. Or it shouldn't have.
    - mandeepj 5y ago
      I published the app early last year. I did not change the title after the initial optimizations. There was no problem all along until now. How would you feel if your app is deleted shortly after receiving couple of ambiguous emails in a month? Mid last year, we changed the game play entirely. During all this time, we worked a lot and hard on it. It really hurts to see the game gone - just like that.
      - m0lecules 5y ago
        can you post the emails?
        mandeepj 5y ago
        Here it is - https://imgur.com/a/XeAVWzs https://imgur.com/a/XeAVWzs
        sdoering 5y ago
        So you receive two clear and (at least to me as a non native speaker) straight emails aboit being not compliant. Looks like you changed the title after the first one to something that also was non compliant. I actually can't see any reason to side with you on this matter. This is so clear cut. The mails, the documentation and the fact that Google warned in both cases. You already compounded two strikes and now complain about the third.
  - benibela 5y ago
    These examples make me wonder if I should remove "Free" from my app title But I did not put it there because of the price, but to announce it as open-source
    - mandeepj 5y ago
      Can you replace ‘free’ with ‘open source’?
voakbasda 5y ago
Zero tolerance is intolerance. Google shows its true colors when it drops the ban hammer without giving any means or opportunity to learn from honest mistakes.
ffhhj 5y ago
I got my first dev account deleted due to an app that processed emails, without sending spam or collecting them. I remember their final email telling something like "don't create another account". Well, I created 4 more and played by their rules. Still very profitable.
muzani 5y ago
This seems like slander without more details. Without full details, it sounds like you broke the rules, were offered to fix it, and continued to be non-compliant. Name and shame is fine, but tell the whole story.
- mandeepj 5y ago
  Details are below. Sorry for not sharing upfront. What else would you like to see?
  - muzani 5y ago
    It's fine now, but there's been a lot of posts like this, with minimal or hidden details. So I'd like to remind people to just post the details up front, because otherwise it looks no different to someone who was rightfully banned. I've had some bad experiences with Google too. They basically just blacklisted and refunded all the money for clicking on ads on my app. Logically, I think it's fine, I broke some rules, and they reacted accordingly. But the whole play store experience seems to be assuming that everyone is a bad actor. And that is just very irritating.
somewrretch 5y ago

55 points by mandeepj 5y ago

Google deleted my developer account, just because my game has 'new' in the game title. I think it's an atrocity.

jetsetgo 5y ago

johnwheeler 5y ago

What do you mean? Can you elaborate? Are you not allowed to have “new” in the title? Why not? So many questions…

mandeepj 5y ago
Please check "Examples of common violations in app title, icon, or developer name" at https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9898684#zippy=%2Cexamples-of-common-violations-in-ratings-and-reviews%2Cexamples-of-common-violations-in-app-title-icon-or-developer-name https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ... They sent me very obscure messages about non-compliance. It took me a while to figure out the problem.
- sdoering 5y ago
  So Google has forbidden the use of "New" in the title of an app. OP used "New" in title of an app and now complains about Google enforcing the clearly stated rules? This has nothing to do with the question if Google should have the right to set these rules. If the are somewhat like a monopoly in the app market (at least for Android) or of any (maybe rightly to make) argument against Google's businesses practices. As far as I can learn from the posting and one comment Google not only has every right to shut down the account, but must do so not to ensure that others would point this out as an example and argue for their apps to be allowed these words in the title. And that would probably make the whole crappy app store even worse for the end user/consumer.
  - cbarrick 5y ago
    If "new" is not allowed in the game's title, then delist the game. That seems like a fair and justified reaction. Deleting OP's developer account is neither fair nor justified.
    - sdoering 5y ago
      As can be seen in sister thread OP had two warnings already. So deleting the account was the third strike. It did not came as a surprise. Or it shouldn't have.
  - mandeepj 5y ago
    I published the app early last year. I did not change the title after the initial optimizations. There was no problem all along until now. How would you feel if your app is deleted shortly after receiving couple of ambiguous emails in a month? Mid last year, we changed the game play entirely. During all this time, we worked a lot and hard on it. It really hurts to see the game gone - just like that.
    - m0lecules 5y ago
      can you post the emails?
      - mandeepj 5y ago
        Here it is - https://imgur.com/a/XeAVWzs https://imgur.com/a/XeAVWzs
        sdoering 5y ago
        So you receive two clear and (at least to me as a non native speaker) straight emails aboit being not compliant. Looks like you changed the title after the first one to something that also was non compliant. I actually can't see any reason to side with you on this matter. This is so clear cut. The mails, the documentation and the fact that Google warned in both cases. You already compounded two strikes and now complain about the third.
- benibela 5y ago
  These examples make me wonder if I should remove "Free" from my app title But I did not put it there because of the price, but to announce it as open-source
  - mandeepj 5y ago
    Can you replace ‘free’ with ‘open source’?

voakbasda 5y ago

Zero tolerance is intolerance. Google shows its true colors when it drops the ban hammer without giving any means or opportunity to learn from honest mistakes.

ffhhj 5y ago

I got my first dev account deleted due to an app that processed emails, without sending spam or collecting them. I remember their final email telling something like "don't create another account". Well, I created 4 more and played by their rules. Still very profitable.

muzani 5y ago

This seems like slander without more details. Without full details, it sounds like you broke the rules, were offered to fix it, and continued to be non-compliant. Name and shame is fine, but tell the whole story.

mandeepj 5y ago
Details are below. Sorry for not sharing upfront. What else would you like to see?
- muzani 5y ago
  It's fine now, but there's been a lot of posts like this, with minimal or hidden details. So I'd like to remind people to just post the details up front, because otherwise it looks no different to someone who was rightfully banned. I've had some bad experiences with Google too. They basically just blacklisted and refunded all the money for clicking on ads on my app. Logically, I think it's fine, I broke some rules, and they reacted accordingly. But the whole play store experience seems to be assuming that everyone is a bad actor. And that is just very irritating.

somewrretch 5y ago