The popular open-source Reddit client Slide for Reddit has disappeared (again) from the Play Store. The precise reason isn’t known, but the project’s developer has been informed that the app violated Google’s “impersonation” policy. However, he believes it should be a temporary issue as he works with Google’s notoriously poor Play Store developer support to bring it back.
This isn’t the first time Slide for Reddit has run into issues on the Play Store. Although the app never actually did anything wrong, Google’s (almost total lack of) developer support is well documented. Last time, the ban apparently came down to the word “ISIS” in a single screenshot, in the context of a news item posted to Reddit. The slightest bit of oversight on Google’s app-kicking process would probably have caught how inconsequential the objection was, but smaller developers sadly can’t depend on the company to pay any attention, and most Play Store actions like these seem to be either automated or performed with minimal and seemingly incompetent oversight.
This time, the issue comes down to the Play Store’s intellectual property policy, with Google informing the developer that the app was pulled for “impersonation” — in all likelihood, this will probably come down to something as pointless as the word “Reddit” in a Reddit client. However, the developer notes that the app’s name and Play Store description have been the same for four years. The developer also confirmed the removal in a post to the app’s announcement and support subreddit.
“Google bots have struck again” — truer words were never spoken.
We’re in contact with the app’s developer as they work through the issue with Google. In the meantime, folks hoping to download the Reddit client can thankfully get it elsewhere, including Android Police sister site APK Mirror and open source app repository F Droid.
