2 apps suspended because of startapp ads!!!!!!

I only use startapp for my advertising (airpush is ppd and does not display any ads). I received two app suspensions due to system interference today and I am worried if I receive one more my account will be banned! Is this because of exit ads??? Has anyone else seen this? I contacted their support, this will be the real test is they are any good.

Here is the message:

This is a notification that your application, *************, with package ID *************, has been removed from the Google Play Store.

REASON FOR REMOVAL: Violation of the Ad Policy:
Please refer to the Ads and System Interference policy help article for more information.

Interstitial ads may only be displayed inside of the app they came with. A prominent and accessible target must be made available to users in any interstitial ad so they may dismiss the ad without penalty or inadvertent click-through.

Please refer to the ad walls policy help article for more information.

All violations are tracked. Serious or repeated violations of any nature will result in the termination of your developer account, and investigation and possible termination of related Google accounts. If your account is terminated, payments will cease and Google may recover the proceeds of any past sales and/or the cost of any associated fees (such as chargebacks and transaction fees) from you.

If your developer account is still in good standing, you may revise and upload a new instance of the application that is compliant with the developer terms. Before uploading any new applications, please review the Developer Distribution Agreement and Content Policy.

If you feel we have made this determination in error, you can visit this Google Play Help Center article for additional information regarding this removal.

The Google Play Team

“I am worried if I receive one more my account will be banned!” - there is a rule with 3 apps or what?

you used ads with “home” button, or only with “back button” ?

Used ads with the home button but this is part of their official instructions and they claim they are 100% compliant. They are a pretty big company and I have used them for around a year with no issues until now. It just doesn’t make sense!

There is a 3 rule suspensaion and you’re out rule with some kinds of violations like intellectual property or deceptive behavior but not with less severe ones like incorrect maturity ratings. Ive never seen an ad network violation before so I’m expecting the worst.

Its up to you to make sure the ads are displayed within your app(s). Just calling ad network’s “display ad” functions as you close the activity is lazy. You need to make sure the ad is displayed and then once its either dismissed or interacted with, then you close the app.
Also a good rule to not override the home button, but that’s not what Google seems to have tagged you for.

How is it lazy to implement it exactly as their example code shows?

One of them shows full screen ads on a timer so randomly out of nowhere a full screen interstitial will appear (only if the app is not paused). I wonder if this is considered inadvertent click-through? Thats all I can thing of. Would that make sense?

I dont know… this sucks i’m really worried. 3 app suspensions always means account goes down.

i talked about this when my entire account got terminated. I didn’t get 3 chances just one.

It could also have been the way the exit ads can pop back up when you turn the phone back on if the exit doesn’t complete properly on some phones. This could happen on about 10 of my apps.

A bit more detail. The exit ad can lag and not come up right away (no matter how you handle it!!!). This can lead to a few seconds after exiting the app a full size ad popping up, or in my case (with certain phones) the ad coming up hours later when the person opens the phone again. It was the next time the ad could display. Really not my fault their phone does weird non compliant shit. But according to google it is my fault.

Interesting. Were you using startapp exit ads?

I just don’t understand why startapp would have exit ads if they are so risky and are not possible to be fully compliant.

The only other thing I think it could be is that one of my apps is a live wallpaper and when you open it it shows a welcome screen asking you to buy the full version and then when you click “no thanks” it shows a full screen ad as it takes you to the android system live wallpaper chooser. Maybe this is considered an out of app ad?

startapp.onBackPressed() is not for exit ads for application. Its for showing ad when you move from an activity to another activity within your application. and yes home button press ads are non-compliant.

There is no such rule of 3 app bans will result in ban of your account. I have already got 4 apps banned and account is still running Touchwood!

Ok well that is somewhat reassuring to know. It must have to do with the reason for the app suspension, maybe advertising is far less severe than IP violations.

Why does startapp say they are compliant and tell people to do this:

Show the Ad upon exit by pressing ‘home’ button
The Home button functionality can improve results and revenue.
Override the onPause() method and add a call the startAppAd.onPause():
@Override
public void onPause()
{
super.onPause();
startAppAd.onPause();
}

Happy to hear that, there is no “3 rule”, because in my account 2 apps were suspended, but long time ago, and now I have many apps over there, so I wouldn’t like it to be terminated.

and back to the ads, so you think showing an ad on onBackPressed() at the main activity is also not compliant? I show admob and sometimes startapp ads with onBackPressed before exiting the app. Even big apps, like “moon reader” and etc. are showing ads during exit with onBackPressed from admob.

Bottom Line:

Implementing an Exit ad of any kind can cause your app to be suspended. This is most likely due to a delay (not your fault) and the exit ad showing a few seconds after the app is closed. Thus causing system interference.

I had an app suspended for the exact same reason. It is not due to Startapps content but the exit ad. I would recommend not using exit ads.

I just checked with both, admob and startapp, so if you call if adReady before calling an ad with onBackPressed() you should not have any problem, because it will not show if you don’t have any ad at that moment (so no ad after the app is closed).

Another point would be, when you call an ad on app launch, and you open the app and close with backButton (very fast) it shows the ad after the app is closed. But I am not sure, if this can cause a problem. Because it doesn’t make sense to open the app, and close it with backButton as soon as you open it (this doesn’t happen if you exit with home button).

Attached I have a screenshot from startapp overlay ad. Maybe this ad looks so “out of app” that they counted it as out of app?
2014-03-25_05-52-07.jpg

Hi All,

Fourtwozero - Sorry to hear about those apps being banned. I heard that you are in touch with our support team to take a closer look at what exactly caused this. We’ll post the results here once we know more (with your permission, of course).

Everyone - The home button, by all accounts that we have tested, is compliant. It’s being used by thousands of apps daily, and generates several tens of millions of impressions each day. These numbers assure us that it is OK.

If you don’t agree and don’t feel safe, please remove this feature from your app. Remember it is optional, it is separated in the integration manual and you do not have to use it.

Javanshir - Thanks for sharing this, we are aware of this rare glitch and are working on a solution.

Feel free to ask questions and reach out to our support at any time.

Ariel.

Yes, there is 3 apps rule. In some rare cases your account will not get banned after 3 banned apps. Very rare though.

Never **** with the home button, ****ing with home button eguals ban that is your answer there buddy, Exit ads are fine never had a suspension with exit ads. Home button is major ban.

this rule with one account, or with all accounts associated with one person?

or any source about this to read from?

The general number is 3. Sometimes its 2. Sometimes its 4, 5, 6, 7 etc. There’s a guy on here with 13 suspended apps and he still has the account. Go figure.

If you lose an account Google will do their best to find all other accounts you own and any you create in the future.
Its most likely a combination of bots and employees who track down accounts.

Exactly. I had an account that got banned after 4 suspensions. I have another account under the same name with at least 6 suspensions that hasn’t been closed yet. An account under a different name was banned with just one suspension, and another is still open after that same app was republished and suspended. There is no rule

Here is how I do it with ads and so far no suspension. I hope others will make use of my experience.
Never Base anything on the home button functionality. Think of it as emergency exit so you shouldn’t add any obstacle. Google shows no mercy if they catch you doing that.

Use the back button to display ads on exit OnLY if Ad is available to show. Loading then showing is bad idea if your back button is pressed on main activity

A general rule I use, when you display interstitial, no matter how, make sure you check if your app is on the background (onpause during main activit). If that’s the case then don’t display the ad. A user can click home button right before you display the add and the add will be out of app.

Be safe than be sorry. Other advices are appreciated but that’s my 2 cents

yes startapp exit ads.