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Why is Google allowed to remove purchases from our Play Store accounts without telling us? (www.androidpolice.com)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 166 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Because you signed (digitally) an agreement that lets them do that.

Pirate everything.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Also, don't use Google. Wherever possible.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 10 months ago (2 children)

If you have an Android, they are increasingly making it impossible to not use them. They continue to punish users that choose to unlock the bootloader or root, and Google Play Services are an inescapable prerequisite to many apps, regardless of side loading ability.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

"the boot loader is only safe if it is signed by Google"

How ever did I get out of the '80s with computers with dangerous unsigned boot loaders

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I've used F-Droid without unlocking the bootloader or rooting or Google Play services integration. Developers are free to use F-Droid, most just choose not to. Hopefully it becomes even more popular as gplay has more issues.

[+] [email protected] -12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Don’t buy games on Steam or Valve Corporation, they make you sign the User Agreement that legally waves your rights and ownership of games.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Actually, Steam is usually one of the best places when it comes to refunds. The process is simple, and they're willing to make exceptions to the rules. And the company is run by one of the few CEOs in the gaming industry who seem to actually understand gaming.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago

And a large portion of the steam community will be super sad if Gaben retires or passes away. We can only hope it continues to be run as well as it has been over the past 15 years.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

AU lawsuit against Valve proves Valve didn’t want to refund their customers. Valve is guilty of this violation of Australia law. Many people who used Steam before 2010 tell people they were never given refunds oran option for refunds.

Valve is not good guys, they fought the Australia government to the very top to not pay or offer refunds. They are greedy.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

They literally had to be sued by multiple jurisdictions to even offer refunds. The cult of Valve needs to die.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

Read by almost no one, it is interesting because in many countries contracts are considered invalid if one of the parties is not properly informed and still accepts, affirmative consent is legally crucial.
Everyone knows that EULAs violate it systematically, tens or hundreds of millions a day, but it doesn't seem to be a matter of interest.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Whenever I see a checkbox or something that just says "Check here to confirm you accept our privacy policy" I think it's funny because all I am legally agreeing to are the words actually in front of me. Sure, I agree with the standalone words "our privacy policy". I'm not sure what that does for you, but i guess "our privacy policy" is an acceptable string of words.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 10 months ago

My last order in a questionable shop had a 'return policy' pop up, i had to screenshot. It was empty.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Imagine how hard it would be to buy stuff or use free services if you actually had to read and understand the contracts every time.

Ok, I’ll just quickly check on Google maps what’s south of Mongolia. Oh, I need to read all that before seeing the map? Well, maybe later. Don’t really have the time for that right now.

If that’s what life was like, laziness would win nearly every time and companies would have hardly any users or customers. Eventually some companies would probably make super short contracts in order to lower the threshold.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I can already see it: "We'll do whatever we want without accepting any responsibility and we'll spy on you to monetize it. Click here to accept."

It's a complicated issue, maybe with summaries, requiring affirmative consent only for certain actions, or splitting them up? I don't know, it all seems messy. But I hope it leaves behind the expectation that we lie by agreeing to sell your firstborn's soul after reading for hours in legalese.

#SellYourChildrenWithAffirmativeConsent.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

LOL, that was a brilliant summary about what these contracts usually boil down to. However, they should probably include these things too: “You’re not allowed to do anything cool. If anything goes wrong, it’s always your fault.”

These brutally honest super short contracts could be fun to read.