GreatFire, an organization dedicated to combating online censorship and promoting freedom of information, is proud to announce the launch of its newest initiative, GoogleCensorship.org, today, September 3, 2024.
This new platform will monitor and document censorship practices in Google Play Stores across the globe. By providing transparency about app availability and advocating for digital freedom, GoogleCensorship.org aims to empower users and promote unrestricted access to information.
GoogleCensorship.org is the latest expansion of The App Censorship Project, which began with AppleCensorship.com in 2019. The new platform will utilize the Play Store Monitor (PSM) to track app availability, highlight instances where apps are removed, and provide insights into Google’s content management practices.
“GoogleCensorship.org represents our commitment and latest effort to enforce transparency among tech companies and protect digital rights,” said Benjamin Ismail, Campaign and Advocacy Director at GreatFire, and head of the App Censorship Project. “While AppleCensorship.com has shown the extent of censorship in Apple’s ecosystem, it’s equally important to shed light on Google’s practices. Our goal is to hold tech giants accountable and ensure that their platforms support free access to information.”
Key Features of GoogleCensorship.org:
· Play Store Monitoring: GoogleCensorship.org uses automated tools to monitor app availability across 224 Google Play Stores worldwide (175 distinct Play Stores plus a “Rest of the World” Play Store, which includes 49 countries/regions). The platform aims to conduct tens of thousands of tests daily to detect apps that have been removed or restricted.
· User Participation: Users can search for apps by name, keyword, or ID to test their availability in various regions. This interactive feature allows users to participate directly in uncovering censorship.
· Detected Changes and Disappeared Apps Pages: Like AppleCensorship.com, the platform provides detailed pages listing the latest changes in app availability detected by the PSM, including apps that have been removed, restored, or are no longer available in any Play Store.
· Cross-Platform Insights: Research will be conducted using data from both GoogleCensorship.org and AppleCensorship.com, allowing for comprehensive cross-platform analysis to compare app availability and censorship practices between Google and Apple. Next year, the AppCensorship website will integrate data from both platforms, providing users with a unified view of app censorship across these major ecosystems.
GreatFire encourages users, developers, and digital rights advocates to visit GoogleCensorship.org, use the tools available, and participate in the global effort to promote transparency and challenge censorship. The launch of GoogleCensorship.org is a significant step toward ensuring that app ecosystems remain open, fair, and free from undue restrictions.
For more information, please visit GoogleCensorship.org or contact us at [email protected].
