Google Ejects Open-Source WireGuard From Android Play Store Over Donation Link In App

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Google Ejects Open-Source WireGuard From Android Play Store Over Donation Link In App

Apparently Google doesn't appreciate donation links/buttons within programs found on the Google Play Store even when it's one of the main sources of revenue for open-source programs. WireGuard has been reportedly dropped over this according to WireGuard lead developer Jason Donenfeld...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=WireGuard-Ejected-Play-Store

[Grogan]

I'm really sick of those creeps. What's the difference between ad supported, charging for the software, or having a donation link? I'll tell you what this is about, Google doesn't get any money from that.

[Termy]

Disgusting...

[Jabberwocky]

It's crazy to think that this process i̶s̶ ̶a̶u̶t̶o̶m̶a̶t̶i̶c̶ so strict. At least it's on https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.wireguard.android/

[kpedersen]

Disgusting...

Agreed and it is also disgusting that people keep buying Android / iOS phones and support this criminal behavior. Everyone who has this kind of phone is at just as much blame.

What I find even more dire is that even technical users (including on this forum) buy these kinds of phones and try to justify it.

[rene]

AppStores are evil, and we should stop using them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPlfnrbNd_o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDUawixwiq0 Apple and Google are booth evil and should be avoided, likewise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u-rdEiNynE

[Danny3]

Greed hitting again.
I'm glad that F-droid exists so I don't care what Google does!

[timofonic]

Agreed and it is also disgusting that people keep buying Android / iOS phones and support this criminal behavior. Everyone who has this kind of phone is at just as much blame.

What I find even more dire is that even technical users (including on this forum) buy these kinds of phones and try to justify it.

I agree, but...

Are there a pragmatic alternative to Android and iOS? Librem and PinePhone aren't still in that category, they are a lot more idealist than pragmatic.

Linux succeeds because pragmatic reasons, idealistic reasons are secondary. It may be unfortunate, but that's reality that we live in.

[starshipeleven]

What I find even more dire is that even technical users (including on this forum) buy these kinds of phones and try to justify it.

What do you propose? pidgeons? There isn't much of an alternative.

That said, Andoid works perfectly fine without Google Play, or without a Google account configured.

Secondary app stores like F-Droid that distribute only FOSS applications exist and can be installed freely on any Android device.

[starshipeleven]

I'm really sick of those creeps. What's the difference between ad supported, charging for the software, or having a donation link? I'll tell you what this is about, Google doesn't get any money from that.

Newsflash, Google's main revenue on Android is ads and tracking.