Editorial: Waiter, there's a Nazi theme in my Android Market (updated)
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted August 13th 2010 11:32AM
posted August 13th 2010 11:32AM
In the past, we've railed against Apple for its confusing, unfair, and often absurd App Store policies, particularly when it comes to the policing of applications based on content, not code. Steve Jobs has made a point during press conferences to say that the Android Market allows porn apps -- which of course set off a furious debate. Sadly, what Jobs should have pointed out was that the Market allows something far more insidious and damaging than even the hardest-core pornography -- apps that spread hate and propagate the views of a movement that is pretty much universally reviled.
And here's where we have to take a hard look at what censorship really means, and what kind of role it can (and clearly should) play in the new frontier of app marketplaces on mobile devices (and elsewhere). Let's be clear about this right off the bat -- an app store isn't the internet. It's not a free-for-all, it's not an open venue where any type of wares might be hawked. The whole point of these app portals is to provide a controlled service to your users that has guidelines and rules that make getting software onto your phone relatively easy and safe. Whether or not you have stringent policies for what you'll accept (Apple), or few (Google), no one should pretend that this isn't a siloed service that must have rails to operate.
Think of it this way: app stores are kind of like privately owned bookstores. The owner of the bookstore doesn't have to carry the art book of nudes or the pro-Nazi thesis. In most situations, it doesn't have to carry everything because there are plenty of other places to get those books. That concept is especially true for Android -- users can sideload any applications they want onto their devices. No one is going to tell you that you can't install a Nazi theme on your phone, but we're pretty sure that Google shouldn't make it so easy, and it shouldn't subject a large portion of its users to content that rightfully deserves to sit on the fringes, not in the center.
So ultimately, what's the answer? While tapping out my thoughts on the matter, it seemed painfully clear how difficult of a question this really is. But the part that's confusing is the part that's essentially a lie -- that keeping certain pieces of content out of systems like the App Store or the Android Market equates to censorship... because it doesn't. As I said above, these portals aren't the whole world, they're not the internet -- hell, most people don't even have smartphones that they download applications onto. These are closed systems for specific uses, and something tells me that the people who built these systems don't really want to see them used to distribute Nazi themes. A follow-up tweet from Gartenberg stating that the company is "upset" by the experience and that the apps in question are in violation of its terms of service seems to confirm that.
I don't have the final word on this, and maybe there really isn't a final word to have. I know in my gut that Google doesn't want to be the place to go for all your Nazi needs, but I also know that there's a serious gray area when it comes to the hows and whys of choosing what you will and won't offer to users. In the end, a little common sense goes a long way, and if the Apples and Googles of the world can't find a middle ground that's fair, we're in for a messy, bumpy ride.
Update: Google has apparently pulled the themes due to "a violation of Android content policy."
Update 2: As PC Magazine points out, and as you can plainly read in Android's Content Policy for Developers, Google forbids content in the Market which involves "promotions of hate or incitement of violence," and (free speech-defying as it may seem) "pornography, obscenity, nudity or sexual activity." From where we stand, it looks like this is more an issue of Google's willingness to police its Market than it is about censorship -- Google definitely has rules about what it will and won't allow in its store.
Lol, Nazi pwnage.
All joking aside, this has got to go. I'm all for openness, and pretty open to (almost) anything and everything, but there are a few instances where some lines need to be drawn, this being one of them. I'm sure Google will respond to this correctly.
I face palmed at this article so fucking hard.
Sounds like u mad bro, need to take a chill pill or two.
@Monkeytofu
No kidding. This is akin to people bitching about an Apple post.. in an Apple post.
If only we had something like: androidmarket/exclude/nazi
I don't know... yes it sucks there a hate theme apps in the market, but if google pulls this one, then it opens up all sorts of 'claims' that this and that shouldn't be in the market too...
As a user I like the choice, and if some idiot puts a nazi theme on his android, well he was probably an idiot in the first place.
Should google be responsible for changing peoples views and opinions no matter how stupid and hurtful they maybe?
@GuniGuGu
exactly
@GuniGuGu This is nothing new though, Google have been pulling inappropriate applications from the market since they introduced it.
This may be surprising to some of you but THERE ARE rules which the developers using the Android Market have to follow, they are just not moderated before hand such as on Apple's App Store.
Instead Market relies on users flagging applications as inappropriate, when enough people do this the applications is escalated to Google and is checked to see whether it should be removed.
http://www.android.com/market/terms/developer-content-policy.html
@GuniGuGu Also on another side note the Android Market is not the only way to distribute applications on Android, the Market has rules and Google can remove applications for violating those rules.
They do not however stop the guy who wants a Nazi theme from downloading his theme from his Nazi forum along with his fellows.
Im also anti censorship, as far as im concerned if their isn't hateful things on an app store than your doing it wrong.
“Google shouldn't make it so easy, and it shouldn't subject a large portion of its users to content that rightfully deserves to sit on the fringes, not in the center.“
Moreover, Google should not earn money from that. The theme is $2.99. Google takes $.90.
@phab the price of openness, and as for the profit the google makes I doubt their making a lot off that theme. I could give a crap if it exists, im not being forced to use it, or even forced to look at it
@phab I think this is way more important than it simply existing as an option...but at the same time, I'm sure Google is making money off of things that aren't necessarily reviled but are just as divisive - such as religious/political apps. Where do you draw the line?
I love my Hero and I love Android, but the market is utter crap.
For every good app on the market, there's 100 that are just embarrassingly terrible and useless.
Soundboard this, hot girls that, fart here, clock there, Lil Wayne everything else... And then there's stuff like this.
Yes, it's nice that the Market is open, but Google needs to consider some basic regulations. Or at the very least, perhaps consider adding some filters to the Market app?
@DavidT User-selectable filters? Sure! Regulation? Heck no. Have you seen the App Store. It's full of soundboard and fart apps too. Nothing to be gained in that area by clamping down.
As much as I hate anything related to Hitler and people supporting him and his ideals, who am I to tell someone they can't have this theme? But to have it come up when searching for a keyword like Jewish is just sick and wrong.
@theclerk74 That's what I was thinking too, this is obviously targeted against Jewish people and that's what others can't see because they are so blindly loyal to "openness" and "anti-censorship"
I'm Jewish, so I obviously find it offensive. However, I'm not willing to trade freedom of choice for censorship of something I find offensive. If you take the nazi flag theme off the phone of a bigot, he is still a bigot. Leave freedom of choice alone.
@Drybonz exactly, im tired of people shiting all over my freedom
@Drybonz Well stated.
@DroidCLH just to clarify im not a nazi i just meant in general
@Drybonz
Agreed wholeheartedly.
@Drybonz Thank you for that! Seems like the sheep always think they can have it both ways at the same time, somehow...
@Drybonz
The skinheads will be building apps to locate the Jews to perform hate crimes. Enjoy the freedom.
@MosesusedaniPad
I know this comment was down ranked but I need to say this anyway. Skinhead is not synonymous with Nazi.
"walled garden" is walled for a reason. keep the crazies out. I'm an Android owner and I'd really like to see the market pruned a little. the whole "good stuff will float to the top" mentality google has is about as shortsighted as their attempt to launch the N1 without a tech support line for users with legitimate problems.
google, if you're listening, if you dont plan on editing out garbage like what's above, please add some decent, customizable filters already:
1. filter any dev with 200+ apps
2. filter any app by language
3. filter any app by content rating (ie. let me block the pseudo-porn apps)
4. allow for app Hash tagging by users.
5. allow for app staring. (i may not want to download it, but I do want to remember what apps I'm keeping tabs on)
Did engadget just censor my post for saying naazi, or am I just being impatient?
The latter.
Come on folks, you have a very sad view on censorship. Physical or not, stores are allowed to block content. Censorship, openness, blah blah blah. Google has every right to allow this, and every right not to. The question isn't their right. It's their responsibility.
Way to overreact. The fact that Google doesn't censor the marketplace is a move that strikes a huge blow to Nazis or anyone like them. By removing the app, and deciding that they can be the ones to decide what is acceptable and what is not acceptable is a society's first step to fascism.
Of course Google is a private enterprise and they are in their freedom to do whatever they want on the Market as per their developer agreements. But it's the principle of the matter regardless.
It is amazing how much crap is located on the android market, my favorite is when app devs name apps the same thing as popular apps, but mess with the casing of the letters. So "some app" becomes "SOMe app" or "sOME app" I don't know what the effect is, but it is garbage.
To be honest, I'm surprised Neo-Nazi's are intelligent enough to use Android.
This is in the Android Marketplace which is open and not curated. Google supports the openness of the Marketplace, so by extension they support Hitler and the Nazi party. Either way, not the best way to gain market share.
@jckchn You support censorship of the marketplace, therefore by extension you support censorship of media and newspapers. Not the best way for a democracy to run, don't you think?
Now, do you see the flaw in your argument?
I'm anti censorship; I'm anti nazi; I'm anti the current state of the Android Market, and I'm anti this article.
Engadget editorials are certainly going downhill... (or at least in my opinion, because I happen to disagree with quite a few of the recent ones)
Not saying I disagree with this article; It's just pointless to bring this up.
Now, don't get me wrong, I think Nazi's are garbage. that being said, I've never seen a racist comment get deleted on engadget, the fact engadget is complaining about that theme is hypocritical.
@scorpeo
I have- that article with a picture of a guy with an iPad round his neck on a chain... all sorts of comments disappeared.
I'd provide you with a link to it, but I'm a lazy, lazy man.
@scorpeo You're able to see comments after they've been deleted? That's gotta be the lamest version of the sixth sense ever.
larry and sergey are both jews
I think they have more of a right to complain than you do.
@shatterkneesinc
There were probably plenty of Jews in Europe that believed in personal freedoms as they were rounded up and sent to concentration camps to be exterminated. I just happen to think that many Jewish organizations would be very upset by this sort of Nazi freedom. I sure won't be applauding any Ku Klux Klan parades with hooded jackasses marching around spouting freedom of hatred. It makes me downright nervous.
Whoa Josh,
Are you Jewish by any chance? As much in to linguistics and culture as I am, your last name provides no clue to me.
You really need to calm down about this. Racism is strong, even in America. In fact, many believe that racism is becoming stronger (myself included). I understand how you feel, as I am a minority. You cannot cover up racism and it's probably better when it isn't hidden. Racism breeds well when hidden from the mainstream. Also, this particular dev is opening himself up to attack since he is exposed so easily.
Let me share a recent experience with you: I work in Cupertino, probably about a mile away from 1 Infinite Loop as a mater of fact. (This incident even took place soon after you were in the area for the Antennagate press conference). I was walking back to my office from a Subway, when young female passenger in a car driving past me gave me the Hitler salute. People assume Cupertino and the Bay Area is really progressive and for the most part it is, but there have been many times throughout my life where I have seen glimpses of the racism hiding away beneath the surface.
@beatsandmelody His last name is Eastern European, of Polish, Ukrainian, Belorussian and/or Jewish origin. Also, he is living in Brooklyn, NY.
Even if he himself is not Jewish, I can bet you someone in his family is. Maybe not currently, but in the past.
The issue here is not Mr. Topolsky's ethnic and religious background. I'm sure the trolls here would attack that part of him if given the opportunity.
Really? So the line isn't drawn at porn, but it is drawn at a Swastika theme? That's EXTREMELY hypocritical. Engadget has no right to be heckling Apple as they basically see eye to eye. I see NO problem with having this in the market. In fact, this has more of a right to be in the market than the spam pornography applications. Google wanted everything to be open and I think it should remain that way. Since when do human beings need censorship? The fact that people will give up freedom in order to have something they don't agree with removed is pathetic. There are Swastikas in the history books from which your children are learning; do you want to remove the chapter about World War II?
@konachan
"There are Swastikas in the history books from which your children are learning; do you want to remove the chapter about World War II?"
Um... context?
Can you really not see the difference between say an app that celebrates lynching African Americans and learning about the history of civil rights in school?
Give me a break.
@battlecakes
Sure there's a difference, but the point is people need to grow up. Not everyone agrees on the same things and being a Nazi isn't illegal. Why is it over the edge to have a Nazi app? Why is it over the edge to have ANY app? Because if offends people? If it offends you don't support it by downloading it. In case you haven't noticed, I don't support censorship. Censoring is a job for parents not big brother.
Nazi's buy android. Lol!
@kruger4gamecocks
Even better... Nazi's DEVELOPE for android! LOL!
Leave the offence of the symbols to the symbol minded people. If I were from Tahiti that symbol would mean nothing. Why is it for us so important? Maybe if we had no problem with it all the douches would stop thinking it's cool and playing pretend Nazi. And then it might mean "lucky" again. What a day that would be...
I think it's excellent.
If I ever come across someone with a Nazi themed phone, well, that's a useful snippet of info about the person. "Okay, he either likes military history, or he's a Neo-Nazi".
Similar to coming across a grown man with a Hello Kitty themed desktop.
@Gregorian
Your avatar/icon thing is really fitting for this article.
Josh I know your the editor, but just cause your angry we don't need a post about it.
This stuff makes me sick....being jewish and knowing what that red stands for. I think it needs to be censored...while I believe in freedom of speech, you have to draw the line before it gets to hate.