Google Play Store has been removed from its Android device’s app store Download the app, which allowed downloading files from websites. The service was banned after a complaint was filed by the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), which claimed that the app facilitated downloading of pirated content.
Developer Elias Saba has received many complaints, mostly from Israeli TV sets, who have accused the app of allowing users to download illegal Content, such as domestic and foreign TV series with Hebrew subtitles.
In response to this problem, Google has taken steps to strengthen its anti-piracy policy. In an effort to combat the use of Downloader for this illegal purpose, the company has banned the app from its official store, the Google Play Store.
Saba defended his service in a post on the AFTVnews website and said: “Any reasonable person will agree that you can’t blame a web browser for pirated content on the internet, but that’s exactly what happened to my app.“.
The developer filed a request for circulation the same day the service was blocked, as well as a form of counter-notice from Google pursuant to the DMCA.
Within about an hour her lawsuit was dismissed, but Saba is awaiting the outcome of her appeal sent to the DMCA.
i need your help! My Downloader app has been wrongly removed from @google apps Store due to a ridiculous DMCA removal from Israel TV @tweet Which claims that the web browser in the application can load a specific website with its infringing content, which means that my application is infringing copyright.
—AFTVnews (@AFTVnews) May 19, 2023
translation: “i need your help! My Downloader app has been wrongfully removed from the GooglePlay Store due to Israel TV DMCAyescoil stating that because the app’s web browser can load a specific website with its infringing content, my app is infringing copyright.”
Learn how the Downloader app works
The tool allowed users to download files directly to their smart TVs.
While it has been widely used to download legitimate apps, games and media files, it has also been known to be used to easily and conveniently access pirated content.
Downloader made it easy to install third-party apps on Android TV devices, providing users with a built-in browser that they could use to access websites and download files directly to the TV.
This functionality, while useful to many, has also been explored by those seeking to access content hackerscopyright infringement.
