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> It turned out later google (and other big tech incl twitter) were trying to suppress anything about covid, until the narrative shifted March that year From t

> It turned out later google (and other big tech incl twitter) were trying to suppress anything about covid, until the narrative shifted March that year From the emails you posted, it seems like big tech sites had general policies about people capitalizing on disaster situations and they spelled that out clearly? Obviously, things eventually changed and Covid19 apps/trackers were deemed to not fall under that rule, but it seems a bit much to jump from that to "trying to suppress anything about covid". For reference, text from one of the emails: >Specifically, we don't allow apps that lack reasonable sensitivity towards or capitalize on a natural disaster, atrocity, conflict, death, or other tragic event.

sam_lowry_ 3y ago
OP says the app was not monetized, so this rule seems to be irrelevant.
hulitu 3y ago
> >Specifically, we don't allow apps that lack reasonable sensitivity towards or capitalize on a natural disaster, atrocity, conflict, death, or other tragic event. Haha. Facebook, Twitter ? Even youtube capitalises from "a natural disaster, atrocity, conflict, death, or other tragic event". Talk about hipocrisy.
AHOHA 3y ago
Agree with you, but here are some points to consider: - The app didn’t capitalize or monetize out of that event, it was just like any news app (in fact, that time news apps had ads too), except it’s a niche news, about covid. - When I submitted the app, that policy didn’t exist I remember going through their policies, I guess during that month of “pending”, they were processing if they would allow such apps or not, as I am sure other submitted similar ones, keep in mind it was too early for big tech to digest the fast paced infos whether to allow or disallow it, you can notice even the app name (nCov- corona) and not (Covid19) as the name wasn’t even given to the virus by WHO yet, so immediately banning and suspending apps with no concrete policy in place gives you an idea how things works, ban first, then discuss later and even after discussing things won’t change. Bottom line: Having too much power such app stores to a single private company is wrong, apple is worse in that department as you can’t even side load your apps yet (planned in next iOS release I believe), it’s not the case for webapps for example with all the flexibility you have as a developer.

sam_lowry_ 3y ago

OP says the app was not monetized, so this rule seems to be irrelevant.

hulitu 3y ago

> >Specifically, we don't allow apps that lack reasonable sensitivity towards or capitalize on a natural disaster, atrocity, conflict, death, or other tragic event. Haha. Facebook, Twitter ? Even youtube capitalises from "a natural disaster, atrocity, conflict, death, or other tragic event". Talk about hipocrisy.

AHOHA 3y ago

Agree with you, but here are some points to consider: - The app didn’t capitalize or monetize out of that event, it was just like any news app (in fact, that time news apps had ads too), except it’s a niche news, about covid. - When I submitted the app, that policy didn’t exist I remember going through their policies, I guess during that month of “pending”, they were processing if they would allow such apps or not, as I am sure other submitted similar ones, keep in mind it was too early for big tech to digest the fast paced infos whether to allow or disallow it, you can notice even the app name (nCov- corona) and not (Covid19) as the name wasn’t even given to the virus by WHO yet, so immediately banning and suspending apps with no concrete policy in place gives you an idea how things works, ban first, then discuss later and even after discussing things won’t change. Bottom line: Having too much power such app stores to a single private company is wrong, apple is worse in that department as you can’t even side load your apps yet (planned in next iOS release I believe), it’s not the case for webapps for example with all the flexibility you have as a developer.