Google removes adblocking app for Samsung’s internet browser

It was only a couple of days ago that Samsung announced an update for its internet browser that added an adblocking API thus allowing third-party adblocking apps to tap into the API and block ads on Samsung Internet. Ad Block Fast was Samsung's launch partner for this feature and it quickly racked up tens of thousands of downloads in a few days before Google unceremoniously removed it from the Play Store. Ad Block Fast developers received an email from Google which said that the app violated section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement and that's why Ad Block Fast has been disabled as a “policy strike.”

Section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement states that developers will not build an app that “interferes with, disrupts, damages, or accesses in an unauthorized manner the devices, servers, networks, or other properties or services of any third party including, but not limited to, Android users, Google or any mobile network operator.” Ad Block Fast doesn't exactly do this since it's using a Samsung API to block ads within a particular app however the adblocking app does technically “disrupt” web pages and perhaps that's why Google decided to go ahead with this policy strike.

It's worth noting that similar Samsung Internet extensions from Adblock Plus and Crystal are still live on the Play Store but it's likely that they haven't popped up on Google's radar yet because they've not made it to the top of the charts. Google has not commented on this removal so it can't really be said for sure if and when the Ad Block Fast adblocking extension for Samsung Internet will become available again. While we're on the subject of adblocking here's why you should add SamMobile to your adblocker's whitelist.

Via