Hacker News Reader

Comment by someonebaggy | Hacker News Reader

This is so that you can be sued or prosecuted if the app is malicious.

This is a somewhat good reason to make an US LLC with a mailbox rather than sharing your actual address. It can be much more privacy oriented.

There's no such requirement for publishing a website

There is - every server host does KYC and so does every domain registrar (by law). If you're found to have provided incorrect details, it allows them to immediately remove your server or domain without notice.

No there isn't, Google's requirement is to put that information publicly for everybody to see. That's not nearly the same thing as being available on court request.

With that policy, Google encourages stalkers and put developers in danger.

A California law around a decade ago started it (a consumer protection law I think, something like requiring customers to have an address they can contact any seller at), and Google lazily applied it to everyone.

I would have been fine just preventing Californians from downloading my app, but that wasn't an option so I just let my app die.

It would make sense if it was only if your app costs or handles money.

does GitHub require KYC for .github.io pages? does neocities? does 111freewebhosting?

There actually is in some regions. For example in Germany any publication must include an Impressum with details about the author and publisher. This requirement also applies to websites

Reply on news.ycombinator.com