Google, the internet search giant that owns video-sharing site YouTube and the Android mobile operating system, has a risky relationship with bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Google Play has decided to take action against a bitcoin-based application called Bitcoin Blast. The company canceled it, claiming that it gave rise to fraudulent acts, only to recover it a few days later.
Hi there, thanks for your patience. We’re happy to inform you that the appeal has been granted. Your app will be available on the Play Store again once you resubmit it. Please refer to the latest email sent by our team for more details and follow the guidance there. #AskPlayDev
— Google Play Apps & Games (@GooglePlayDev) January 29, 2020
This is the first time that Google appears to be taking quick action on applications or content related to bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. A similar story happened in early January when Google decided to remove the Ethereum-based Meta Mask from its store.
The Bitcoin Blast ban prompted Bling’s chief executive, Amy Wan, to question her company’s future relationship with Google, and she warned other bitcoin and cryptocurrency businesses to avoid doing all their business on the Google platform.
Bitcoin Blast, available on the Apple App Store on January 24, 2020, was deleted less than a week later, with an Apple representative pointing out the specific policies the app violated and welcoming it back if it can be posted to the code.
The Bling team and the company’s CEO, Amy Wan, are highly visible and still connect with their audience. For games, the need to resubmit the latest version may have removed some users and reviews.
The developers of Bitcoin Blast, a three-reward puzzle game for users with loyalty points that can exchange bitcoins and proudly rank 4.5 from about 20,000 ratings and 13,000 reviews, complained Google have suspended their application without giving them clear reasons why.
We’d love to get your feedback on what we should change about the app! Can you please DM @bling_fi so we can set up a time to talk?
— Amy Wan (@amyywan) January 28, 2020
Wan still complains about the lack of a warning about deleting a top-ranked Bitcoin-related application. She also recalled recent YouTube bans on cryptocurrency content, as did the MetaMask case.
No worries. It’s sensitive for big companies like google, and it’s judgment based off a few seconds to make a decision, likely. But the lack of notice and non-transparent appeals process is terrible for developers
— Amy Wan (@amyywan) January 30, 2020
Perhaps the biggest action for Google’s cryptocurrency occurred at the end of December last year. Shortly after Christmas 2019, many YouTube account owners who posted content related to bitcoin or cryptocurrencies on their channels reported that the video streaming site was targeting their documents and suspended or cancel their accounts.
What is particularly strange is that removal seems to occur only for smaller channels, while larger channels like CNBC’s may still be active.
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