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Google Play Store: nonsense allegation, then app removed?
4 points by btbt 865 days ago
I don't care so much about the app, it's just a "I made something in Flutter, put some ads in, and see how this whole publishing an app process works". It's been up for a year, with no changes made.

I'm more a bit in disbelief that surely this can't be how the world's biggest app store operates. I couldn't imagine if this was someone's livelihood, or mission critical to their business.

I'm curious:

- has anyone had a similar experience recently?

- app content tips for how to avoid getting these type of nonsense flags?

- suggestions for how to handle the appeal process to maximise chance of a favourable outcome?

I'll just put the text of the appeal verbatim below, as it pretty much sums up the sequence of events:

"""

I'm pissed off at the incompetence of this "process" at this point.

1. I receive a notification my app is "Uploading users' Contact list information without a prominent disclosure"

2. I responded immediately with "that's impossible, my app touches no Internet endpoints besides Google ads. Please give me details I can actually do something with, and I'll address it."

3. I received a re-statement of exactly the same useless information, giving me no path forward to resolve the issues you're telling me are there

4. My app has been removed in 7 days from the initial notification, still with me having zero idea what the issue is

I've got a removed app, no actionable information, and no clue what would be required to fix the vague alleged issue I believe to be in error.

I don't know what more I can put in an "appeal". I have no specifics of what's alleged, let alone enough to form an appeal.

COMMUNICATE ACTIONABLE INFORMATION IF YOU REQUIRE AN ACTION IN RESPONSE?

Not rocket science.

"""

2 comments

I have had a similar bad experience while uploading my app to the Apple App Store. They legit use some kind of cryptographic language
My guess is one of your ads packages or APIs is doing something and you missed it.