Sarahah, the widely popular anonymous messaging app, was recently removed from Google Play Store and Apple App Store for encouraging bullying.
Google lately stepped up its fight against bad apps violating its policies. Not only Sarahah, but it also banned several other popular apps, including Amazon UnderGround, CyanogenMod Installer, and Grooveshark, from PlayStore.
Here are ten popular apps "banned" by Google.
Sarahah app
Sarahah being used by bullies to abuse other users
Sarahah needs no introduction. This anonymous messaging platform garnered immense popularity since being launched last year.
It lets users send anonymous messages to each other; they have no way of either knowing who sent the message or replying to them.
However, Sarahah, which started out as a platform to facilitate honest, constructive feedback, was recently banned for facilitating bullying, following Katrina Collins' petition.
CM Installer
Google's banned official CM Installer developed by CyanogenMod
CM Installer or CyanogenMod Installer is the official app developed by the CyanogenMod team that allows Android users to install the popular CyanogenMod ROM easily without even having to root their smartphones or perform any complicated operations.
Despite being an official app, the CM Installer app has been removed by Google from the Play Store; the reason behind the same is still unknown.
TubeMate
TubeMate allowed users to directly save YouTube videos
TubeMate was a popular app on the Google Play Store that allowed users to download YouTube videos on their Android devices. It didn't even require users to watch the video for downloading.
But the app was removed from the Play Store as it enabled anyone to get videos from Google-owned YouTube.
However, YouTube now allows users to save some videos for offline viewing.
Popcorn Time
These popular apps allowed users to watch movies, TV series
TV Portal app enabled users to watch TV series from its extensive library right on their smartphones. However, it got banned from the Google Play Store over some copyright issues.
Another similar app that let users download movies and TV shows to watch later, Popcorn Time, was also removed from the Android app store as it allowed downloading of content illegally.
AdAway, Lucky Patcher
Ad-blocker apps were also taken down by Google
AdAway app, like the name suggests, helps users block any advertisement on their smartphones. It was quite popular but Google soon removed it for obvious reasons as paid ads account for the majority of the tech giant's revenue.
Lucky Patcher app removes ads, license verification, patching, from downloaded apps and also changes permissions on them. Google banned it as it requires a rooted device.
Grooveshark, PSX4Droid
Controversial Grooveshark app pulled from PlayStore following legal battles
Grooveshark app, the alternative to Pandora streaming service to users outside the US, was removed from Play Store several times. The Recording Industry Association of America complained to Google against Grooveshark; after many legal battles, Grooveshark even shut its business.
Meanwhile, popular PSX4Droid app that enabled Android users to play PlayStation games on their phones was taken down due to legal and copyright issues.
Amazon UnderGround
Why was official Amazon UnderGround banned from Play Store?
Google has also removed the Amazon UnderGround app from the Play Store as it was violating its policies.
UnderGround is basically like Amazon's version of Play Store. Users can download apps and games and also get in-app items for free, which is against Google's policies.
Though Google has banned the app, Amazon UnderGround apps can still be downloaded from the company's official website.