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

(reclaimthenet.org)
1525 points garyclarke27 | 2 comments | 18 May 20 07:37 UTC | HN request time: 0.399s | source
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JeremyNT ◴[18 May 20 14:42 UTC] No.23222914[source]▶
If you are an end user who would like to avoid getting caught in this situation, you might want to switch to using F-Droid [0] as your primary source of Android software. The selection is more limited, but because everything is open source and distributed outside of Google's walled garden, you can be sure that it won't be arbitrarily removed because of the whims of corporate bureaucracy.

I write this not as a dogmatic free software proponent, either; I have bought apps on the Play Store in the past and would consider doing so if the experience weren't so poor. Dealing with the Play Store has gotten so frustrating (not just due to this issue, but also due to the difficulty of filtering out shovelware and spyware) that I only reach for it as a last resort now.

[0] https://f-droid.org/

replies(1): >>23223027 #
rjmunro ◴[18 May 20 14:49 UTC] No.23223027[source]▶
How does f-droid police "shovelware and spyware"? Or just outright malware? Surely they will remove it? In which case your favourite app might be "arbitrarily removed"?
replies(4): >>23223172 #>>23223205 #>>23224516 #>>23224754 #
1. goda90 ◴[18 May 20 15:00 UTC] No.23223172[source]▶
They try to scan for them, and have reporting options. Its open source apps only, so first, if its removed, then arguments can be made using the full source code as evidence one way or another. And you can always grab the code for your favorite app and build it yourself.

https://f-droid.org/en/docs/Anti-Features/

replies(1): >>23223553 #
2. UncleMeat ◴[18 May 20 15:27 UTC] No.23223553[source]▶
Open source doesn't change anything here. Bytecode has a extremely tight relationship with source so even if none of the code is open you can still strongly point to specific pieces of code that cause problems. The core issue with detailed explanations of the malicious behavior that trips over automated detection is that it enables malware authors to more easily hide malicious behavior.