Google removed video streaming platform LBRY from Play Store

[Spotty]

Summary

Video streaming platform LBRY has had its Android app pulled from the Google Play Store after a video hosted on the platform violated Google's standards on Sexual Content and Profanity.

 

Quotes

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Google banned LBRY Android from the Playstore without warning and for contrived reasons. This video details their exact communications, reasoning, and hypocrisy. We believe we are being targeted due to big creators fleeing YouTube for LBRY.

 

The notice provided by Google for the app's removal (suspension) for violating Google's Sexual Content and Profanity policy.

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Hi Developers at LBRY Inc,
After a recent review, we found that your app LBRY - Earn Rewards for your Content (io.lbry.browser) is not compliant with one or more of our Developer Program Policies. See below for more information about your app's status and how to correct the issue.

 

Issues with your app
Your app contains content that doesn't comply with the Sexual Content and Profanity policy.

Issue details
We found an issue with the following area(s):

• In-app experience: Please see attached screenshot io.lbry.browser-InAppExperience-340.png

 

About the Sexual Content and Profanity policy
We don't allow apps that contain or promote sexually explicit content or profanity, including pornography. In general, we don't allow content or services intended to be sexually gratifying.

 

App status: Suspended
Your app has been suspended and removed due to this policy issue.

 

The notice from Google shown in LBRY's video:

(Click to expand image)

 

The offending video/images that caused the app to be removed was a 2014 short film called For the Record:

(Click to expand image)

 

Google's policy on Sexual Content and Profanity for apps on the app store:

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Sexual Content and Profanity

We don't allow apps that contain or promote sexual content or profanity, including pornography, or any content or services intended to be sexually gratifying. Content that contains nudity may be allowed if the primary purpose is educational, documentary, scientific or artistic, and is not gratuitous.

 

Here are some examples of common violations:

• Depictions of sexual nudity, or sexually suggestive poses in which the subject is nude, blurred or minimally clothed, and/or where the clothing would not be acceptable in an appropriate public context.
• Depictions, animations or illustrations of sex acts, sexually suggestive poses or the sexual depiction of body parts.
• Content that depicts or are functionally sexual aids, sex guides, illegal sexual themes and fetishes.
• Content that is lewd or profane - including but not limited to content which may contain profanity, slurs, explicit text, adult/sexual keywords in the store listing or in-app.
• Content that depicts, describes, or encourages bestiality.
• Apps that promote sex-related entertainment, escort services, or other services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation.
• Apps that degrade or objectify people. 

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9878810?hl=en

 

 

My thoughts

There's some claims made by LBRY in their video and on Twitter that this is because Google fears them as a competitor to Youtube, but honestly I don't even think Google knows they exist or would even care about them. They simply aren't big enough to be a concern to Youtube.

 

From the examples of violations provided in Google's documentation the video does seem to violate their policy, so Google does have grounds to remove it based on the policy. In particular "depictions, animations or illustrations of sex acts, sexually suggestive poses..."

 

This really sparks a bigger question about whether or not platforms such as this are responsible for the content that is posted by other users and creators on their platform. LBRY allows users to upload videos and it appears that it was this user generated content which caused Google to remove the app. If Google removes apps for user generated content that violates their policies then shouldn't that also apply to their own apps including Youtube? What about movies that are sold on the Play Store that contain sex and nudity?

Some similarities can be drawn between LBRY and Floatplane, so what would happen if a Floatplane creator posted something on Floatplane that violated Google's standards for sexual content and profanity?

 

I tried finding the video on LBRY's website but either I can't find it or it has been removed by LBRY. As of writing this the app is still removed from the platform. You can [not] find it at this link. I'm sure it won't be long before LBRY is reinstated on the Play Store, especially if they've pulled the offending vidoe, but if it got pulled for this then who knows what else would cause it to get pulled in the future leaving LBRY and other apps in an uncertain state.

 

Sources

https://twitter.com/LBRYcom/status/1309583022354726917

https://lbry.tv/@lbry:3f/googlebanslbry:7

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9878810?hl=en

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

Sexual Content and Profanity? aren't there 100's of apps similar? doesn't netflix and amazon count for sexual content by the R rated movies? 

[lewdicrous]

No sexy time for the Googles.

[Fatih19]

5 minutes ago, Rohith_Kumar_Sp said:

Sexual Content and Profanity? but not onlyfans or 100's of apps similar? 

Great point.

[Moonzy]

uhh... i've seen worse on youtube?

 

is it due to lbry not having age check or?

[Spotty]

9 minutes ago, Rohith_Kumar_Sp said:

Sexual Content and Profanity? but not onlyfans or 100's of apps similar? 

OnlyFans isn't on the Play store or App store. I think it was removed for the same reason of containing sexual content.

Just had a look at the Play Store and there's what appear to be fake OnlyFans apps but no legitimate app. Maybe Google should be working on pulling the fake apps instead of LBRY.

 

 

1 minute ago, Moonzy said:

uhh... i've seen worse on youtube?

 

is it due to lbry not having age check or?

No, as far as I know it's not related to age checks. It's just global policy for all apps on the Play Store.

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

2 minutes ago, Spotty said:

OnlyFans isn't on the Play store or App store. I think it was removed for the same reason of containing sexual content.

Just had a look at the Play Store and there's what appear to be fake OnlyFans apps but no legitimate app. Maybe Google should be working on pulling the fake apps instead of LBRY.

 

No, as far as I know it's not related to age checks. It's just global policy for all apps on the Play Store.

i edited the second i made the comment but it took for ever for the forum to load the edit page. aren't apps like netflix and such also host sexual content ? i can think of atleast 20 other apps that host sexual content on playstore 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hotshotsworld&hl=en_IN

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kooku.app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cordova.flizmovies

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.eightshots

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cdi.videostreaming.app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.viewlift.hoichoi

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.feneoapp

i can go and on, but you get the point 

[Moonzy]

4 minutes ago, Spotty said:

No, as far as I know it's not related to age checks. It's just global policy for all apps on the Play Store

then shouldnt stuff like reddit be removed as well? since there are literally subreddits for those stuff

[Mark Kaine]

is twitter on the play store? because ummm........

 

 

[Spotty]

Just now, Moonzy said:

then shouldnt stuff like reddit be removed as well? since there are literally subreddits for those stuff

Probably. I think the likes of Reddit, Netflix, Facebook, etc are just "too big to remove" and if Google pulled them from the Play Store there would be legal action.

 

I wonder if it is because LBRY's ToS doesn't seem to prohibit sexual content or maybe because they don't have a proper report system? There's a way to report something as infringing on your copyright or "mistagged content" but there doesn't seem to be a way to report for content violations.

Quote

f) You will not use the Services to distribute or publish Content that:

• is unlawful, for example, copyrighted works, underage sexual content, revenge pornography, or any other content illegal under US or state law.
• would constitute, encourage or provide instructions for a criminal offense, violate the rights of any party, or that would otherwise create liability or violate any applicable local, state, national or international law;
• infringes any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other intellectual or proprietary right of any party;
• impersonates any person or entity or otherwise misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity;
• contains sensitive personal information, including “protected health information,” as defined under HIPAA and its implementing rules; “cardholder data,” as defined by the PCI DSS; “personal information” of a “child” as such terms are defined under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and its implementing rules; or personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation;
• contains viruses, corrupted data or other harmful, disruptive or destructive files; UNLESS CLEARLY LABELED AS SUCH
• in the sole judgment of the Company, is objectionable or which restricts or inhibits any other person from using or enjoying LBRY or the Services, or which may expose the Company or its users to any harm or liability of any type.
• USD equivalent of LBRY Credits [LBC] is determined by 3rd party markets such as Bittrex and Poloniex, not LBRY INC.

https://lbry.com/termsofservice

[RejZoR]

Hey, no no to some sex scenes that probably weren't even explicit like on some PornHub, but have all those action movies murdering thousands of people on video. That's totally a OK. The hypocrisy of our society is just mind blowing how everyone goes to absurd lengths to ban sexual content, but is totally fine with murder, torture and other shit. They literally ban things that create life and favor things that take it away. Yeah, you're a real fucking moral example pushing that one Google...

[LogicalDrm]

*** Some off topic baiting removed ***

[Drama Lama]

1 hour ago, Spotty said:

snip

Why are there so many OnlyFans apps?

[lewdicrous]

26 minutes ago, Drama Lama said:

Why are there so many OnlyFans apps?

The play store gets a lot of fake apps/look alike apps, especially games, from what I've seen.

[Doobeedoo]

Nice meme Google you're only missing a lot more of them... 

[suicidalfranco]

here's what happens every time someone says "then make your own" against these giants. There will never be an even playing field for the new kid on the block.

Also i'm more than positive that i've seen a video of guy on youtube reviewing a dick pump, no censoring, dongles out for everyone to see, where's the ban on the youtube app huh?

Just checked, the vid's still up, with 1.2M views

[Donut417]

13 hours ago, Spotty said:

Sexual Content and Profanity.

Doesn't Netflix and HBO have apps on The Play Store?

 

I clearly remember a lot of sexy time, Boobs and wangs being in Game of Thrones. I do recall Netflix content with similar content. 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

Isn't there like straight up porn on YouTube though? There are probably some spicy Game of Throne scenes on there. And don't forget about that Titanic scene. I guess it's fine as long as it's not marked as for kids then... 

[TetraSky]

Never heard of LBRY before, but I may as well go create an account on it just to reserve my username I guess...

Spoiler

Even more so considering I didn't get to have my username on Floatplane, somehow, so if I can prevent a random person from trying to take over my username (which was 100% unique at the time that I created it and now a bunch of people decided to steal it, from making a company to a God damn music band and other crap...)  on a new service, I'm all about that. It's ridiculous.... *sigh*

 

On Floatplane, I'm 100% sure I had associated my forum account to floatplane loooong ago, in the very early days when they were only just then starting to talk about it, thus reserving the name. But then, when I later tried accessing Floatplane months after, I couldn't access the account.

All I got from Luke was that the email associated to the account isn't mine, so either their system fucked me over and changed the email, somehow, or I dreamed ever linking my forum account and some random person decided to make an account with my username... who fucking knows right)

 

[SpikeSpiegel]

I never heard of it until now.  But wow......

[SpaceGhostC2C]

16 hours ago, Spotty said:

We don't allow apps that contain or promote sexual content or profanity, including pornography, or any content or services intended to be sexually gratifying. Content that contains nudity may be allowed if the primary purpose is educational, documentary, scientific or artistic, and is not gratuitous.

I never knew they had such a ridiculous policy for their app store - I thought they were based on California, not the Vatican? 

 

I mean, with all their data collection, don't they know what people use Chrome for? Or is that the point, to have no competition? 

[poochyena]

Regarding google banning sexual content, its not entirely their decision, its largely due to payment processors' guidelines and US laws. All the major payment processors have banned transactions that include sexual content (you can see a full list here), so I imagine google would have trouble keeping companies like paypal with them if they allowed this stuff. And part of the reason these companies do this is because of laws like sesta, which is like one of those bad copyright laws that always get threatened to pass, except this one actually was. It makes any transaction involving sexual content a possible legal liability.

 

tl;dw, while google has some say in the matter, its not something entirely in their control. Assuming the issue with the app is actually about the sexual content.

[Master Disaster]

Google: Literally hosting a video showing how far a penis bends when inserted into a vagina using a camera from the inside of the vagina.

Also Google: We're pulling this app because it shows a man and a woman lying on top of each other in a mildly suggestive way.

[paddy-stone]

21 hours ago, RejZoR said:

They literally ban things that create life

To be fair, most of the stuff has zero chance of creating life  /s 

 

[RejZoR]

23 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

To be fair, most of the stuff has zero chance of creating life  /s 

 

Hey, there was an attempt.