Google Asks Android Developers To Show Sensitivity To Disasters and Atrocity

Mark Wilson writes: Today Google revealed an updated version of its Google Play Developer Program Policies. There aren't actually all that many changes or additions, but those that are present are quite interesting. Google is clamping down on the problem of impersonation, making it clearer that it is not permissible to mislead users by imitating other apps, making false claims, or suggesting endorsements that do not exist. One of the more intriguing changes to the document sees Google calling on developers to show sensitivity to evens such as natural disasters, war, and death. Any apps or other content that attempt to benefit by exploiting such events are explicitly banned.

Comments

Foolishness

[bill_mcgonigle]

They'll probably use this to ban some app that's helping to get materials and supplies into disaster areas using the pricing mechanism. Whenever a disaster happens, demand for goods skyrockets past supply, prices rise to guide allocation and outsiders desire to risk capital and safety to get supplies in, seeking profit. Then State actors castigate them, threaten to imprison them (dog-whistle: "price gougers"), and so the supply dries up again. Every economist recognizes how this works, but politicians seek to dismiss economics reflexively.
I thought Google was smarter, though.