Payments and digital wallets app MobiKwik was removed from the Google Play Store as it allegedly violated the app’s ads policy.
MobiKwik CEO Bipin Preet Singh said Google removed the app from the Play Store as it had a link to the Aarogya Setu app. Singh told Gadgets360 that the company had received a warning from Google a week ago for promoting the Aarogya Setu app, after which it said the warning was a mistake. Despite this, Google removed MobiKwik from the Play Store.
"They gave us a warning one week ago and we explained that we have been asked to do this. Then today they first removed it around 3 pm IST and then we pursued their team and resubmitted the app after removing the link to Aarogya Setu and now they made it live,” Singh told Gadgets360.
Singh also tweeted that MobiKwik and other fintech companies were instructed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to promote the COVID-19 contact-tracing app. Other apps like Paytm also feature links to the Aarogya Setu app on both iOS and Android Play Store.
Hey @GoogleIndia @GooglePlay you removed @MobiKwik app from play store because we had a link to Aarogya Setu app. We were asked to do this by regulators ( @RBI ) and understand it’s in public health interest. You have too much power ! Cc @CCI_India @amitabhk87 @PMOIndia @rsprasad pic.twitter.com/ftv5KIZCAy— Bipin Preet Singh (@BipinSingh) May 28, 2020
Aarogya Setu currently has over 11.6 crore users, according to the official in-app statistics.
“Google clarified that there is no harm in promoting Aarogya Setu app on MobiKwik, however, they removed our app today from the Play Store without any intimation,” Singh said.
Google’s Play Store has policies against apps that contain deceptive or disruptive ads and those which aren't clearly labelled.
MobiKwik is back on the Play Store, but the new version does not have the Aarogya Setu link anymore.
