The developer of an application for Android TV called Downloader has raised a cry to heaven after Google will remove it from Google Play for a reason that, if applied to all apps, would basically kill web browsers on Android.
Its developer says that the app was removed after receiving a claim from a law firm representing several Israeli television companies. The reason: what phated to be used to visit websites that infringed copyright of their representatives. Like any web browser.
Forbidden to access the Internet
Downloader is a simple application available for Smart TVs with Android TV or Google TV with which we can do something that the system doesn’t make it too easy for us: download files from the internet or simply browse the web. This is so because Google refuses for some reason to launch Google Chrome for Android TV, although there are alternatives on Google Play. All of them are in danger.
After Google received a DMCA complaint from representatives of Israeli TV channels, the app was removed from the app store on the grounds that “the app can be used to visit the XXX copyright infringing website on which which two Israeli courts and one US court have issued a permanent injunction.” In plain words: can be used to navigate a certain website. Like any other web browser.
Downloader is basically a web browser
The reasoning for this suspension of the application would prevent there being any web browser on android if widely applied. If we include applications with an integrated web browser, we would only have a few applications left.
The developer indicates that he appealed the initial decision, his appeal being dismissed within a few hours and that a second appeal is still pending. The app is still available through its APK and from the Amazon App Store. If Google does not restore it in its application store, you will have to think about removing your Google Chrome browser from the Play Store, since it can be used to access the same offending websites.
Image | mohamed hassan in Pixabay
Via | AFTV News
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