Google Play bans third-party app for YouTube alternative BitChute | Hacker News Reader

Google Play bans third-party app for YouTube alternative BitChute

reclaimthenet.org

92 pointsgrawprog31 comments

They display the message from Google saying their is an issue with the app which included a screenshot of the offending screen, but the blog post decided not to include that screenshot.

I'm all for a youtube alternative, but it appears to me BitChute is hiding something here.

Does it? Even the title says it is a third-party app.

I'm not sure what you mean. It is a 3rd party app.

So what, then, are you accusing Bitchute of hiding?

I'm accusing them of hiding the reason for the removal. If Google removed them from the app store due to breaking terms of service, and sent them a message saying it's been removed for breaking the "Webviews and anti-spam" policies, and Google included a screenshot of the offending part of the app, that screenshot should be included in the write-up. That way we can say "yeah, that is unfair of Google, that screen doesn't break any terms of service or should be allowed because XYZ".

Because they didn't provide the screenshot, we're left going "..damn, that sucks, this company says Google shut them off for breaking terms of use, but I can't see if that is true or not because I only have part of the information....oh well..."

Yep, they seem to be playing the victim here

This is disgusting censorship. They will claim "Hatespeech" or something similar which is a nefarious term to try and limit free speech.

Google shouldn’t have an obligation to host your apps or associate their brand with yours. The Android OS permits sideloading apps which Google doesn’t vet. Also BitChute is choosing not to show the attached image, thus concealing the full story from the public.

Google have anointed themselves censor because of the way they built android. So now they do in fact have the obligation to host people's apps.

If android were like windows and the main distribution channel for apps were the web it would be very different.

Android is an open OS where vendors can and do customize their own vision of Android. It stands alone as the only open source mobile success.

In fact, because vendors often make tasteless changes to the mobile OS experience, Vanilla Android is a selling point for Google phones. That Google pays for app-specific security infrastructure and deals with abuse claims is a service which Google provides.

Google should be no more required to spend money supporting BitChute than Apple should be required to support Fortnite; and even Walmart ought be able to quit on a vendor for the mere reason that Walmart feels the good isn't "good enough" for their standards.

> If android were like windows and the main distribution channel for apps were the web it would be very different.

Whether or not the web is the main distribution channel for Windows is a story completely up for grabs, and Microsoft is leaning toward their store.

True.

But then Google shouldn't be allowed to limit the capabilities of other app stores - it's that simple.

Good thing google is preventing everyone from being exposed to obvious malware.

This is why I got rid of my smartphone. The whole "app" thing is just a power grab. Not that I'm a huge bitchute fan but having one organization decide that most users just shouldn't watch something is super disturbing.

You don't need to get rid of a smartphone, just be smart on what you have on the thing. Start with Android since that is far more amenable to customisation than iOS. Install an AOSP-derived distribution like LineageOS. Don't install the 'gapps' (Google Apps), use F-Droid and Aurora Store for any 'apps' you need. Truth be told the need for 'apps' is debatable with the advent of useable web versions. There may be some 'apps' which you can't get around having, here in Sweden it is more or less mandatory to have an electronic ID app like 'BankID'. Apart from that you won't need much if anything closed source on your device, especially not if you happen to have your own server which you can connect to. Add a VPN app - Wireguard is shaping up nicely - to connect to your own server running your own services (mail, "cloud", search, media, etc.) and you're set.

Or simply abandon the smartphone duopoly completely and consider Pinephone or Librem 5.

That is another potential option but it currently takes more effort to use one of these as a "daily device" - too much effort for all but the most motivated. If you want to partake in the crusade against the duopoly these devices - or other devices running things like Sailfish or PostmarketOS - are interesting alternatives.

And in the same time, some infrastructure provider has discontinued contract with Bitchute.

https://twitter.com/bitchute/status/1323741461972594688

On the day of election.

Looks coordinated and planned carefully. Oh dear.