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> If you have done something so terribly wrong to cause your account to be terminated, and to remove all your apps, you would expect at least an email properly

> If you have done something so terribly wrong to cause your account to be terminated, and to remove all your apps, you would expect at least an email properly written by a human being, with evidences of the mistake you have done. This is precisely why I have zero interest in developing anything for Android or iOS. I simply don't understand why anyone would spend countless hours of their life developing apps for platforms which are happy to completely annihilate all of that effort in an instant, without even an inkling of justification for doing so, and no way to appeal. That's pure insanity to me.

cosmotic 3y ago
The barrier to entry is so low, actual malicious developers could create thousands of accounts. Adding a human touch to all those closures would be untenable. They firet need to raise the bar. But then android loses its beginner friendliness.
- yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
  > The barrier to entry is so low, actual malicious developers could create thousands of accounts It costs $25/acct, so that would add up pretty quickly.
- dividuum 3y ago
  Maybe those platforms should take a little cut from any income they make from apps to pay for more oversight and developer support… Oh
  - scarface_74 3y ago
    And how does that help if the app is free, ad supported or supported by subscriptions outside of the store?
    - raft75 3y ago
      My apps were paid or ad supported with Admob, that is owned by Google. So, in both cases, I was sharing my income with Google.
      - scarface_74 3y ago
        I’m in no way shape or form defending Google here, FWIW
- theshrike79 3y ago
  iOS App Store manages a human touch just fine. Google just has a weird need to try to automate everything to the point where finding an actual human with enough privileges to overrule the AI model is getting impossible.
- myaccountonhn 3y ago
  They definitely have the money for doing it, they just don’t want to. They rather completely screw over the developers who have little choice in what App Store to target. They should not be allowed to gatekeep like this without properly paying to support developers.
jacobp100 3y ago
Don’t lump iOS into this. I develop for that and while they do sometimes do things wrong, I’ve always had a human to reach out to by default - no searching around
- willsmith72 3y ago
  Agreed but I also agree with the general sentiment that apple and google have way too much power here, especially compared to developing for the web
- rock_artist 3y ago
  I also relate to that. I’ve developed for years to Android, since the Eclipse days through the latest horror of Gradle and Android Studio. Then I’ve switched back (after years with Android devices) back to iOS devices as my daily drivers and started developing for iOS on my spare time. So far, the Play Store over the years got worsen, it requires a lot of reviewing and updating all sort of forms. Yet, the response seems to be more prompt and more understandable. With Play Store… it’s mostly automated responses with cryptic messages I need to take long to to figure out what I should do to resolve. I just hope I won’t get into those horrible (but possible lock-outs when you’re just a small humble developer)
- dvngnt_ 3y ago
  Google at least allows you to sideload.
clumsysmurf 3y ago
Also, many of us started Android long ago and developed deep expertise. The platforms are so complex, its almost impossible to master all of it. So its a huge investment. Google, as a company, has changed drastically since the Froyo days. Technically this could be a "sunk cost fallacy" but its not easy switching stacks and getting jobs with newbie knowledge of new stack. But if I were to decide today, I would probably choose something else.
scarface_74 3y ago
“I have no idea why anyone would create applications for devices that 90% of the world have in their pockets. It’s almost like people have a weird addiction to food and shelter and exchange labor for money to support their addiction” “As an aside, I also don’t see why people watch TV. I haven’t owned a TV in 20 years”
raft75 3y ago
I'm not insane. Making apps is my passion and my side hustle. Until two days ago, I believed that account termination occurred for very serious reasons. I have appealed and am waiting for a response.
- troupe 3y ago
  You are in good company. PowerSchool (formerly owned by Apple) had their Schoology app removed from the Play store last week. I don't know they details, but they are big enough I'd kind of expect them to get at least a conversation from Google instead of just removing their app. What has happened now is that other applications have been released with the same name and students & parents are downloading those apps and typing their names and passwords into them. Whatever security Google thought they were achieving by removing the app seems unlikely to have been greater than the risk they created by the removal.

cosmotic 3y ago

The barrier to entry is so low, actual malicious developers could create thousands of accounts. Adding a human touch to all those closures would be untenable. They firet need to raise the bar. But then android loses its beginner friendliness.

yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
> The barrier to entry is so low, actual malicious developers could create thousands of accounts It costs $25/acct, so that would add up pretty quickly.
dividuum 3y ago
Maybe those platforms should take a little cut from any income they make from apps to pay for more oversight and developer support… Oh
- scarface_74 3y ago
  And how does that help if the app is free, ad supported or supported by subscriptions outside of the store?
  - raft75 3y ago
    My apps were paid or ad supported with Admob, that is owned by Google. So, in both cases, I was sharing my income with Google.
    - scarface_74 3y ago
      I’m in no way shape or form defending Google here, FWIW
theshrike79 3y ago
iOS App Store manages a human touch just fine. Google just has a weird need to try to automate everything to the point where finding an actual human with enough privileges to overrule the AI model is getting impossible.
myaccountonhn 3y ago
They definitely have the money for doing it, they just don’t want to. They rather completely screw over the developers who have little choice in what App Store to target. They should not be allowed to gatekeep like this without properly paying to support developers.

jacobp100 3y ago

Don’t lump iOS into this. I develop for that and while they do sometimes do things wrong, I’ve always had a human to reach out to by default - no searching around

willsmith72 3y ago
Agreed but I also agree with the general sentiment that apple and google have way too much power here, especially compared to developing for the web
rock_artist 3y ago
I also relate to that. I’ve developed for years to Android, since the Eclipse days through the latest horror of Gradle and Android Studio. Then I’ve switched back (after years with Android devices) back to iOS devices as my daily drivers and started developing for iOS on my spare time. So far, the Play Store over the years got worsen, it requires a lot of reviewing and updating all sort of forms. Yet, the response seems to be more prompt and more understandable. With Play Store… it’s mostly automated responses with cryptic messages I need to take long to to figure out what I should do to resolve. I just hope I won’t get into those horrible (but possible lock-outs when you’re just a small humble developer)
dvngnt_ 3y ago
Google at least allows you to sideload.

clumsysmurf 3y ago

Also, many of us started Android long ago and developed deep expertise. The platforms are so complex, its almost impossible to master all of it. So its a huge investment. Google, as a company, has changed drastically since the Froyo days. Technically this could be a "sunk cost fallacy" but its not easy switching stacks and getting jobs with newbie knowledge of new stack. But if I were to decide today, I would probably choose something else.

scarface_74 3y ago

“I have no idea why anyone would create applications for devices that 90% of the world have in their pockets. It’s almost like people have a weird addiction to food and shelter and exchange labor for money to support their addiction” “As an aside, I also don’t see why people watch TV. I haven’t owned a TV in 20 years”

raft75 3y ago

I'm not insane. Making apps is my passion and my side hustle. Until two days ago, I believed that account termination occurred for very serious reasons. I have appealed and am waiting for a response.

troupe 3y ago
You are in good company. PowerSchool (formerly owned by Apple) had their Schoology app removed from the Play store last week. I don't know they details, but they are big enough I'd kind of expect them to get at least a conversation from Google instead of just removing their app. What has happened now is that other applications have been released with the same name and students & parents are downloading those apps and typing their names and passwords into them. Whatever security Google thought they were achieving by removing the app seems unlikely to have been greater than the risk they created by the removal.