I unpublished an app and got a warning from Google Play for App Rejection...

Android Android Development
1

Hi,

Hope somebody can help me.

First, Google removed one of my app for Alleged Trademark Infringement. I didn’t know I couldn’t use a name in my app but I can understand the trademark infringement. So that’s fine.

[b]Following this, I decided to unpublish several apps to avoid more app suspensions.

Then, I got an email from Google:[/b]

Please address the issue described below, then submit an update with your changes.

REASON FOR REJECTION:Violation of the intellectual property and impersonation or deceptive behavior provisions of the Content Policy. Please refer to the IP infringement and impersonation policy help article for more information.

Your app and/or elements of its listing on Google Play, including title, description, logo(s), or promotional screenshots must not include unauthorized usage of protected works belonging to a third party.
Your app icon and promotional screenshots must not contain images that appear confusingly similar to existing products.
Protected work could typically include product names, brands, images, logos, music, and similar works.

Please make modifications to your app and/or its listing to bring it into compliance. To do so, remove any content that may be a protected work in your app and/or app listing.

And here’s what is displayed on my Google Play dashboard app:

[b]APP UPDATE REJECTED[/b]
Your app submission has been rejected for a violation of the Google Play Developer Program Policy regarding Intellectual Property. If this submission was an update to an existing app, the version published prior to this update is still available in Google Play. Please review the copyright infringement and impersonation help articles, then remove unlicensed images from your app and/or listing and resubmit.Additional details have been sent to your account owner's email address

I only wanted to unpublish one of app and now I have a warning from Google… So the Google bot basically rejected my unpublish update…

My question is, how can I avoid to have another warning and also have my app unpublished?

I can submit an update by removing the icon, screenshots and change the description but I cannot change the package ID…
Because the package ID of my app include the name of a celebrity… I feel like if I submit an update (even of my unpublished app) I will have a warning from Google that may result to my account termination :frowning:

Anyone can help please? Thank you.

2

I’m pretty sure the package name is completely ignored. They don’t use it in their algorithm and most users don’t use the package name or even know about it.

What is probably happening to you here is that the apps you unpublished are getting pushed as an update request in the Google bot’s eyes.
So if the app hasn’t been update in a long time there might be aspects of the app and its contents that needed updating to comply with the latest GPlay policies.
The best thing to do when unpublishing an app is to firstly ensure it has been updated to make it fully compliant with the latest policies and then unpublish it.

Totally pointless and a waste of time I know, but Google don’t care about inconveniences to other people…

3

Thanks for your reply A1ka1inE.

Does it mean I need to submit an update to fully comply with Google Content Policy and then leave my app Unpublished?

4

This would be a good oportunity to see what the bot is flagging…
Start removing 1 screenshot at a time and resubmit, when you get to less that 2 (I think 2 are required), just doodle something up in ms paint.
Same with the icon.

5

If they do any APK scanning, this is a death sentance for anyone who lost their keystore for some of their early apps… Can’t update, and can’t unpublish, all one can do is wait for the banhammer

6

I’ve just updated my app with
title: Unpublished App
Description: I would like to unpublish my app
Screenshots: Blank images

It seems like after a few hours the update is now ok and my app is unpublished. I’ll keep you updated.

7

I had same problem today. I submitted an app update and it got rejected. I decided to unpublish the app, and 2hours after I receive the same app rejection message. I replied to that email that the app is now unpublished and not available anymore but I do not know if it is enough. By the way, having two many app rejections can lead to app suspension, so better dont try to find what the possible problem is by removing one shot at a time.

8

When you submitted for an update and got rejected, what was the reason they said?

9

So it appears that it was the store listing that was flagging the bot. ie… not a apk scan

10

REASON FOR REJECTION:Violation of the intellectual property and impersonation or deceptive behavior provisions of the Content Policy. Please refer to the IP infringement and impersonation policy help article for more information.

Your app and/or elements of its listing on Google Play, including title, description, logo(s), or promotional screenshots must not include unauthorized usage of protected works belonging to a third party.
Your app icon and promotional screenshots must not contain images that appear confusingly similar to existing products.
11

Wouldn’t it be grand if they just showed examples of the kind of stuff that is NO LONGER allowed, would make life so much easier!!
The kind of reasons they churn out are useless and are likely to get a lot of accounts banned eventually, unless that is their master plan

12

Yea but there are no clear guidelines at all, I think they should open a training for how to publish an app how to write the description and so on.