Element is a popular client for the federated chat protocol Matrix, and we highlighted it in our summary of the best open source alternatives to Google Hangouts last year (when it was called Riot.im). Unfortunately, the app was removed from the Google Play Store without warning, in what appears to be another instance of Google confusing third-party client apps to host all visible content.
Element announced yesterday on twitter that your app has been suspended from the Play Store without any notification from Google. The service later received confirmation that the removal was due to abusive content, but since Element is just a client for Matrix servers, the ban appears to be another instance of Google confusing content on third-party clients with content hosted by the developer. The same removals have happened with many other client applications in recent years.
Element explained the situation in a blog post:
On 2021-01-29 at 21:35 UTC, Google suspended the Play Store Element without notice or notification. We sent an appeal asking for clarification at 11:18 pm and at 5:31 am we received a generic update from the Google Play policy team citing that the app was removed due to content that violates its terms of use and asking us to “make the necessary changes to [our] application ”and“ upload a new application using a new package name and a new application name ”.
As of 11:44 UTC, we present a detailed call to reiterate that Element is a generic chat application to connect to the global communication network Matrix, just as Chrome is a generic browser to connect to the Web – and just like Google does not control the content of the web, Element does not control the content of the Matrix.
We also explain that the Matrix servers that we Does run as an Element (including the standard Matrix.org home server, which we run on behalf of the Matrix.org Foundation) has strict Terms of Use that we actively enforce. We abhor abuse, and Element is not an app that handles abusive content.
Hopefully, Element will make a quick return to the Play Store. In the meantime, you can still download the APKMirror or F-Droid app.
