RedPhone Removed from Google Play Store

[bluelotus at openmailbox.org]

Cathal, thank you for pointing out the hypocrisy of privacy app 
developers not making their apps available without a Google account. I 
too refuse to have a Google account so cannot use Google Play.

Thanks for making TextSecure available to non Google account holders. 
Where can TextSecure be downloaded?

On 11/11/2014 2:31 pm, Cathal (Phone) wrote:
> 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 at riseup.net> wrote:
>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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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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