Google bans Podcast Addict app over non-approved Covid-19 content

What is going on with Google? We had PushBullet being threatened with removal over vague problems just a few days ago.

I don't buy the "evil monopoly" narrative as what does this accomplish for Google?

Probably a sign of over-reliance on automated systems

Google has an explicit notice up on YouTube Studio, at least, saying that they'll remove content that might not violate copyright because they are cutting back on human review. (It doesn't seem to occur to them that they could err on the side of not assuming copyright, though.) I'm sure this is part of the same trend.

They can't "err on the side of not assuming copyright". They have to block things first, ask questions later according to various laws and agreements around the world, or they will open themselves up to massive lawsuits, principally from big music labels.

I also don't buy the "evil monopoly" narrative I think it is automated flagging algorithms, humans are only "approving" bans.

Censorship simply does not scale. A centralized entity cannot get all the details correct, and a larger community has more diverging values. The more Google attempts to police information, the more wrong judgments it makes. It's inevitable.

People keep trying to sue (and otherwise legally punish) Google and similar platforms for not policing their content enough.

This is the inevitable result.