Two of my apps have been removed from the Google Play Store, (a free/trial version and a pro version of the same app).
A developer of a similar app asked for them to be removed. The reason for removal was given as “Alleged copyright infringement (according to the terms of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act).” As I could not understand that my apps had violated any of his copyrights, I sent a DMCA counter notification to Google. After a few weeks, Google replied:"If we do not receive notice that the complainant has brought a court action within 10 to 14 days, we will reinstate the material in question." This made me full of hope. I assumed that it meant that Google had not accepted the request for removal, and I did not think that the meager economy associated with an app could be the reason to start a costly legal action. After another few weeks, I received the following email from Google: “We are in receipt of your attached counter notification letter. Upon presenting the complainant with your counter notification letter, they responded stating their intention to take the matter to court. We will await your correspondence regarding the results of the court order before taking any further action.” I sent them another email, pointing out that I had had no information as to a court action, to which they replied: “Unfortunately we are unable to assist you any further regarding this issue at this point.” I still have heard nothing as to a legal action, neither from Google, nor the complainant or any court. So, the conclusion of this unhappy affair seems to be the following: if you want to remove some bothersome apps, you just have to complain to Google that your copyrights have been violated. If they do not agree, you just have to tell them that you intend to take the matter to court. (You don’t have to carry it through.) Then they will remove the apps you are asking for. Can it really be THIS easy to remove a competitor’s apps? Without any consequences? Or is there something I have misunderstood? In case anyone inside Google would care to take a closer look at this case, the reference numbers (for removals) are *[#1121348892] and **[#1121348892] ** *. Regards, Terry -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
