Why Paytm Has Been Removed From Play Store
Paytm is back on the Play Store hours after the app was taken down for violating policies on gambling. Earlier today, Google removed the Paytm app from the Play Store while other apps like Paytm for Business, Paytm mall, Paytm Money, and a few more were still available on the platform.
Update: And we’re back! 🥳
— Paytm (@Paytm) September 18, 2020
ET was unable to verify which other apps had been taken down along with Paytm from the Play Store. “We are surprised that our app (was) taken off (Play Store). Google has unilaterally taken the decision to remove the app without listening to us,” Vijay Shekar Sharma told ET.
- First, it was Paytm who lashed out at Whatsapp accusing it of ‘unfair play’ following its entry into the landscape of digital payments and and now PhonePe targeting Paytm. It needs to be mentioned that Paytm had contributed 68 million UPI transactions to the overall volume of UPI transactions in February 2018.
- In its blog post published on Sunday, Paytm offered a brief background of why the app was removed from Play Store. It said that on September 11, it launched a UPI cashback campaign called Paytm.
- Paytm has been removed only from the Google Play Store, but the App Store this app is still there if you are iPhone users. However, the reason for removing Paytm from Google Play Store has not yet surfaced. Nothing can be said clearly about why Google has taken this decision.
What did Paytm comment?
Commenting on the matter Paytm issued an official statement and said Google suspended the app as it violated Play Store policies on gambling. “We continue to work with Google to restore the app. We assure all our users that their balances and linked accounts are 100 per cent safe. Our services are fully functional on all existing apps and you can continue enjoying Paytm like before,” the company said.
Explained: Paytm goes from Play Store, how are you affected?
What is Google’s Play Store policy on gambling?
Google prohibits online casinos and other unregulated gambling apps on its play store. Even fantasy sports platforms like Dream 11 are kept out. The tech giant also reveals that an app that leads consumers to an external site that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to real money clearly violates Play Store policies.
In a blog post posted earlier on Friday, Google’s Suzanne Frey, Vice President, Product, Android Security and Privacy explains, “We don’t allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. This includes if an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies.”
Frey notes, “We have these policies to protect users from potential harm. When an app violates these policies, we notify the developer of the violation and remove the app from Google Play until the developer brings the app into compliance.”
Express Tech is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@expresstechie) and stay updated with the latest tech news
“In the case where there are repeated policy violations, we may take more serious action which may include terminating Google Play Developer accounts. Our policies are applied and enforced on all developers consistently,” Frey further states.
Why Paytm Has Been Removed From Play Store Code
Commenting on the matter, Akash Karmakar of Panag and Babu Law Offices, who represents various tech and app companies said, “While PayTM did not directly engage in, or promote sports betting or gambling, it did have links to third-party sites which did. The ease of using PayTM on these third-party apps may have been viewed by Google as the element which makes PayTM as supporting these sites. Google appears to have taken an ethical stand against apps that promote or even advertise unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. Since many other apps are also promoting betting and gambling websites through ads and pop-ups, if Google applies the same standard, I would expect more apps will get taken off the Play Store.”