Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

Re:Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play ... by corty on Saturday January 30, 2021 @05:43AM (#25968002)

I guess at some point Google will close the F-Droid loophole in Android and only allow installations through the Playstore anymore. You know, for security reasons... winkwink

Maybe the real reason will be pressure from the government to hurt the ones like Huawei a little more, maybe it will be the need to squeeze more money, or maybe the need for censorship because those evil alternative app-platforms allow whatever unwanted stuff.

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Re:Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play ... by brmgb on Saturday January 30, 2021 @06:56AM (#25968371)

> I guess at some point Google will close the F-Droid loophole in Android and only allow installations through the Playstore anymore.

Google standing in Europe is already really shaky. They keep taking fines after fines for abuse of their dominant position. That won't last forever. If they close the ability for other stores to exist, the best case scenario is the EU giving them a huge fine and forcing them to go back. Worst case is being force to split Android out of the main company. Google knows that which is why they will not do it.

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Re:Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play ... by suizi on Sunday January 31, 2021 @03:49PM (#25982440)

Does Europe have the power to split Google? Or does that lie with U.S. regulators?

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Re:Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play ... by imhoguy on Tuesday February 02, 2021 @04:07PM (#26006659)

Google is already split in EU, there are subsidiaries in various countries. Although parent company is in US. EU has no power to split US company, but can apply fines to localy registers subsidiaries when laws are breached.

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