Not allowed - list of things

Maybe we could list in this topic things that are definitely not allowed by Google Play and other Android stores and could get you banned or in trouble. It could help us avoid them. I will start with:

  • terms: Saga, Candy, Flappy, Tower Defense (the exact term, you can use TD or Defense), Flow, with Friends, &Friends, and Friends, Memory, How, Asteroids, Monopoly, Scrolls
  • Tetris brick shapes (and name of course but that is obvious)

Keyword spam in the description

Google Play:

  • All ads must be within the app/game.

  • The listing should not be deceptive or try to look like another app’s listing.

  • You can only use push notifications if they lead back to the app they came from.

Is the word “Flappy” not allowed anymore? I thought that that was the norm at first, but I think that has gone away since I have seen more and more apps pop up with that word in them…

I don’t know. I based that on some earlier reports that apps with Flappy in the name were suspended.

A lot of things aren’t allowed, but many people keep submitting such apps. Regardless of how the banning mechanism works, one thing certain is that it’s inconsistent. I think the reason Google is making it inconsistent is because they don’t want to remove every app that make them money. A spotty banning system is a good compromise between satisfying the need to remove low quality apps and keeping profitable apps on the market.

You can try submitting dummy apps and wallpapers to test if certain words and phrases are banned or not.

Please stick to the topic and post only thing that are sure.

DO NOT Post same pictures for different apps. my 2 accounts got banned for that reason. even though both apps (themes) are for different launchers as the icons are same I posted the same screen shots on the different apps… I got an email saying spamming and banned both my accounts. I tried to explain both have different code etc to work on different launchers etc… Always got automated emails back. Its like a brick wall.

Interesting. Thanks

I have added flow, memory (when used to indicate the name of the game), with Friends, &Friends and “and Friends” to the list.

I just have to ask…why did you put the same screenshots and icons on 2 apps that are different ?

I think you should add: Monopoly, and all the stuff Hasbro owns and their team is hunting on Google Play…

Other 2 words: Color Switch, Pop The Lock

That’s interesting. I have 2 apps (free version and paid version). They are both the same with extra features. So they share 80% of the screenshots. Is that prohibited.?

Not prohibited afaik. But Google always did random things.

Following… thanks!

Ilyssa Cohen
Adscend Media