[conradev]

This seems like a classic case of Hanlon’s razor and I don’t see any evidence to the contrary (yet).

An NSL would be handled a lot differently than removing an app from a single app store for sexual content. Every indication so far points to it being a mistake by Google.

From less than a week ago: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/01/googles-bots-decide-...

[alex_reg]

Maybe.

But if you always discount such events as coincidences, you risk remaining blind to emerging patterns.

[mimi89999]

The pattern is that their reviewers are really bad and the appeal process is almost nonexistent. Improving the quality would probably be a huge cost and they have no real reason to do that.

[rightbyte]

Having a appearantly random blackbox system is handy when you want it to do shady stuff. Just blame the algorithm!

[UncleMeat]

The app is back up and the Element folks agreed that there was what sounds like child pornography reachable from their domain. Overzealous automation perhaps, but obviously not a conspiracy.

[kenneth]

Element is not Matrix.org.

You can view child porn on Chrome, or receive it by email, or download it by Torrent. Yet I don't see anyone banning web browsers, email clients, and Bittorrent client.

[UncleMeat]

And the takedown was reversed. It is clear that Google now believes that the app is not in violation.

The point is that this is well explained by something other than conspiracy.

[conradev]

aaand https://twitter.com/element_hq/status/1355663753380032512