Google removes ‘Remove China Apps’ from Play Store after Mitron app

Google has taken down Remove China Apps, an Indian-based app that helped remove Chinese apps in a device, from Google Play Store.

A California-based company named The Mountain View, told NDTV that the “Remove China Apps” app had violated Google Play’s policy.

Google had also told NDTV that it does not allow “apps that mislead users into removing or disabling third-party apps or modifying device settings or features”, claiming it was a violation of their ‘Deceptive Behaviour Policy’.

This comes at a time when anti-China sentiments are simmering in the country amid rising tension on the Indo-China border and the disruption in lives on account of the COVID-19 pandemic that has its origins in Wuhan, China.

Before being removed, the app had crossed over 50 lakh downloads within a few weeks of launch.

Related news | Call to ban Chinese apps and the never-ending war of YouTube vs. TikTok 

The Remove China Apps, which was released on May 17, deletes apps like TikTok, UC Browser, and other apps that are purportedly Chinese in origin.

Jaipur-based One Touch AppLabs, the makers of the app, claim it was developed for “educational purposes” to identify the country of origin of a certain application. According to the company’s website, the developers do not intend to use the app for commercial purposes.

It is the second viral app from India to be pulled out from Google Play in a matter of days. Google had earlier removed Mitron, an Indian version of TikTok, citing “security concerns”.

On social media too, this has been a hot topic of conversation, with the hashtag #BoycottChineseProducts trending on Twitter.