It's an enduring disappointment to those of us too security/privacy conscious to install Google Play that Moxie refuses to distribute signed APKs through any other channel. It also confuses the heck out of me that someone who makes an app *explicitly* to guard against intermediaries doesn't actually understand why I might distrust Google as much as my network provider.

Anyways, without a Google account Redphone performs very poorly, so I don't use it, but I've got a good network of Textsecure users going based on self-compiled, unmaintained APKs, precisely the outcome Moxie claims Google Play helps prevent. Bad Incentives, I guess.

On 11 November 2014 17:30:09 GMT+00:00, odinn <odinn.cyberguerrilla@riseup.net> wrote:
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Yes, I have an idea.  The US corporation-state is unhappy that people
can make sexy calls (or any other calls) to each other that the US
corporation-state is not privy to.  They have complained to Google.
Someone pulled it from the store.  A debate ensued on whether or not
that would be appropriate, thus while hot air is being expelled the
other secure apps remain in Google's Play store.

Nonetheless the apps will remain available elsewhere even if pulled
from store.

There is a thread related to these issues on twitter which I recommend
you visit (dated from the time when Google Play had censored
adblockplus and disconnectme, removing them from the Google Play store):

https://twitter.com/AnonyOdinn/status/506325144382341120

Text of the statements
which started the thread, my response to it,
and adblockplus's response:

"ashkan soltani ‏@ashk4n Aug 29

Conflict of interests - Google removes privacy preserving apps
@AdblockPlus and @disconnectme from Android Play store
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/08/28/why-some-privacy-apps-get-blocked-from-the-android-play-store/..."

"@dgouldin @ashk4n Yes, & @disconnectme @AdblockPlus @bitpay +others
should provide links (to dl client) independent from any website service"

"Adblock Plus ‏@AdblockPlus Sep 1

@AnonyOdinn @dgouldin @ashk4n You can grab our APK here:
https://adblockplus.org/en/android"


George W. Maschke:
 Early today, 11 November 2014, Open Whisper Systems' RedPhone app
 was removed from the Google Play Store:
 
 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.thoughtcrime.redphone

  By contrast, TextSecure remains available:
 
 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.thoughtcrime.securesms

  and Open Whisper Systems' iOS app, Signal, remains available:
 
 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669

  Any ideas what may have happened?
 
 George Maschke PGP Public Key: 316A947C
 
 

- -- 
http://abis.io ~
"a protocol concept to
enable decentralization
and expansion of a giving economy, and a new social good"
https://keybase.io/odinn
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--
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