Match Group in Fight Over Play Store Policies
Match Group is suing Google to gain control over Play Store content. It’s not news that Google has a monopoly on the app store market, but this case may demonstrate how companies can unfairly use their power.
Google is fighting back against Match Group’s attempt to gain control over Play Store content.
Match Group, the company behind dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid, is suing Google for $2 billion over its alleged practices in the Android app store.
Match Group filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on Thursday alleging that Google removed its dating apps from the Play Store multiple times because it wanted to create an “anticompetitive walled garden” for online dating services. The case is being heard by the U.S. District Court for Southern California, Los Angeles Division, according to the complaint.
The company behind Match.com and Match.com apps has started a lawsuit against Google, claiming that the search giant is violating antitrust laws.
Match Group, the company behind Match.com and other dating apps, has started a lawsuit against Google, claiming that the search giant is violating antitrust laws. The suit alleges that Google deliberately removed Match’s dating apps from its flagship Play Store to hurt Match’s business and advance its own competing services.
The complaint states: “Google used its monopoly power over Android to harm competitors and stifle innovation.” It goes on to state that “Google’s repeated attempts at unlawfully removing applications with large numbers of users without any good reason are just one example of what happens when Google wields its monopoly power over Android in anticompetitive ways.”
Match Group’s apps have been removed from the Play Store multiple times.
Match Group has had its apps removed from the Play Store multiple times. In addition to being banned for violating Google’s policies, Match Group has also been released for other reasons. For example, in 2018, the company was forced to remove its dating app “Dating with Tinder” because it violated trademark laws by using a similar name as another product. The removal occurred after Match Group had released several different versions of Dating with Tinder over two years—and then had filed an appeal when all were taken down.
The case is being heard by the U.S. District Court for Southern California, Los Angeles Division, according to the complaint.
The case is being heard by the U.S. District Court for Southern California, Los Angeles Division, according to the complaint. It’s being presided over by Judge George H. Wu, a well-respected judge who has been with the court since 2005 and has a reputation as a “hard worker,” according to his bio on its website.
According to the complaint, Match handles dating apps and meetup group business through its apps instead of on Google’s app store.
According to the complaint, Match handles dating apps and meetup group business through its apps instead of on Google’s app store. According to Google’s statistics on Android Intelligence, Match.com is a popular dating app, with more than 2 million downloads across platforms.
Match’s apps have been removed from the Play Store multiple times because they didn’t comply with Google’s policies. Still, each time they are reinstated at no cost and within a few days of submitting an update that addresses those issues, according to Match’s lawsuit filed in September in federal court in California.
Google also doesn’t allow developers to sell subscriptions within their apps or charge customers directly for downloads outside of Google Play (or its sister service called “G Suite”), which restricts developers’ ability to make money off their products and services, Match said in its complaint. This policy, combined with alleged anticompetitive behavior by Google, led Match to pursue legal action against Google for antitrust violations explicitly related to the use of subscription-based models for businesses that want access to mobile applications — namely gaming companies like Ubisoft Entertainment SA, which produce console titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Electronic Arts Inc., maker of Madden NFL 19
The alleged violations began in late 2016 when Google’s Play Store was hit with a malware attack,
In December 2016, a malware attack that affected more than 1.7 million devices hit Google’s Play Store. According to Reuters, the malware allowed hackers to gain access to users’ Gmail accounts and download apps without the users’ knowledge.
The news agency reported that the malware led to Google removing 300 apps from its store; however, Match Group alleges that this number should have been much higher—at least one million apps were affected.
This case may demonstrate how companies can unfairly use their power.
This case may demonstrate how companies can unfairly use their power.
Google has the power to remove apps from the Play Store. It does this when it determines that an app violates its policies or deceives users. The company’s decision to remove these apps is based on whether it believes those apps violate its guidelines, not what consumers think of them or whether they’re helpful for customers who want them.
Once you’ve been removed from the Google Play Store, it can be difficult—if not impossible—to get back into business as usual with Google again.
Conclusion
Match Group has stated that they will be contesting the lawsuit. They are a large corporation and will fight this battle in court. It’s not clear whether the courts will side with either party.
