Almost certainly Google has received pressure from these countries on this issue and their business there is more important to google than your single app. Google likely isn't being unreasonable - but the governments of these countries are. Sorry.
I don't know if it'll work in this case, since google's argument ("this contains a slot simulator and some countries don't like that") isn't too egregious, but I can't really fault the dev. When the faceless review process fails, this sort of public appeal has worked before.
Not just Google. It seems like a lot of large corporations effectively outsource their customer service to (the platform formerly known as) Twitter and such. Complaining on social media gets results, even after one has been stonewalled by official channels.
And, even if it fails, you can frequently generate a lot of buzz by complaining loudly on social media. How many people reading this do you think had never heard of this game before just now?
No matter how many times I click “request a review of this decision” through their customer service portal, my appeal is automatically denied.
When there’s no way to get customer support from a company, it’s the only other thing left to do.
Okay fair enough. What is going to change much?
(Also: I don’t agree with the obviously silly content rules.)
The others...unlikely, to be sure. But you never know, I guess.
It didn't work then, and it shouldn't work now.
See also: Project Dragonfly
Many places have similar small variances in obscenity they allow to be published. Your country might forbid nudity on TV, or disallow gambling businesses in public spaces.
I’d say WW2 featured significantly more serious issues.
Such censorship is being carried out against millions of humans, by one of the few organizations on the planet large enough and resourced enough to take principled stands against same.
Google actually left China for this reason specifically. The correct answer by the same organization in question is not without precedent.
This is not a small transgression on Google's part.
You can make the argument that big tech is already that, but clearly they respect local laws.
You were comparing this to the Nuremberg trials. That’s mostly where my disagreement lies. Beyond over-exaggerated.
But one thing for sure, he wouldn't have time to play slots machines.
Lobbying government of US, to send them "democracy".
Or hire PMCs (Alphabet has 113B USD in cash).
Or push news and content that is against the local government (but this is half-joke).
So it's possible if you really want.
Problem is that it likely cost way more than he can afford.
Anything else effective is illegal.
If you mean why isn't Google bringing the banhammer down on every app that fails to meet the criteria isn't that what you want? Allow as much as possible until a government complains?
So if nobody complained about the other apps, they didn't get banned. It is that easy.
That someone else does something that violates those policies/laws too doesn't mean that you get a free pass, unfortunately.
Does anyone think Google should just ignore national laws as a general policy?