Organic Maps, a map app with no ads or in-app purchases, is suddenly removed from Google

The official X account of Organic Maps revealed that the store page for the Android version of the free open source map app 'Organic Maps' was suddenly removed from Google Play. The store page has since been restored, but the specific reason for its removal remains unknown.

Last night Organic Maps was removed from the Play Store without any warnings or additional details due to 'not meeting the requirements for the Family Program'. Compared to Google Maps and other maps apps rated for 3+ age, there are no ads or in-app purchases in Organic Maps. We…

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— Organic Maps: Explore, Hike, Bike, Drive Offline (@OrganicMapsApp) August 17, 2024

ORganic Maps is an open source map app that allows you to download maps based on the open-source collaborative project ' OpenStreetMap ' and use them offline. The following article has reviewed what kind of map app Organic Maps is actually.

I tried using 'Organic Maps', an open source map app that can be used for free and without ads even when out of range - GIGAZINE

According to Organic Maps' official X account, the app was suddenly removed from Google Play on August 17, 2024, without any warning or additional information, for the reason that it 'does not meet the requirements of Google Play Family Policy .'

Google Play's family policy states that 'apps that claim to be for children but distribute adult content, glorify alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, or display content such as gambling, violence, or murder, or adult advertisements, are subject to violations. However, since Organic Maps does not contain advertising or in-app purchases and cannot contain content that is inappropriate for children, Organic Maps has requested an objection from Google Play.

About 13 hours after the Organic Maps official X account posted, the Organic Maps store page was restored on Google Play. However, Google did not provide any notice or explanation when the store page was restored.

Good news! Organic Maps appeared again in the Google Play store last night without any notifications or explanations. We are grateful for your feedback and support!
Stay tuned for the upcoming update, which is already available for iOS.
Let's make the best maps for everyone…

— Organic Maps: Explore, Hike, Bike, Drive Offline (@OrganicMapsApp) August 18, 2024

On the social news site Hacker News , there are many posts arguing that Google's monopoly on app stores is troublesome. If there is a problem between Google and an app provider, there is no independent judicial body. Google is in charge of the legislative, administrative and judicial branches. There is a reason why many people in democratic countries do not like the state to have all the power in its hands. 'Personally, I am not surprised that Google did this. Their creators are deleting many applications from Google Play! ' ' Google continues to delete unused developer accounts and low-quality apps, but if I want to delete my app from Google Play and close my developer account, it is impossible, I can only hide it. There is no button to delete the developer account. It's a double standard. ' Many people have posted objections to the situation in which Google's sole discretion holds the life and death of apps and developer accounts.