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Google Removes QAnon Apps From Play Store for Violating Terms (cnet.com) 207

Google last week removed three apps related to the QAnon conspiracy theory from its Play Store digital marketplace. From a report: The apps -- called QMAP, Q Alerts! and Q Alerts LITE -- were taken down for violating Google's policies against "harmful information," the company said. The removal was earlier reported by Media Matters for America, a progressive not-for-profit. The QAnon conspiracy theory has become popular among a group of supporters of President Donald Trump. One claim is that celebrities are involved in child sex trafficking and pedophilia. Another tenet is that Trump is working to take down the so-called "Deep State," a secret network that manipulates and controls government policy. The theory revolves around "Q," an anonymous user who began writing about the conspiracies on imageboard site 4chan.
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Google Removes QAnon Apps From Play Store for Violating Terms

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  • 4chan... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by beheaderaswp ( 549877 ) * on Monday May 25, 2020 @01:10PM (#60102712)

    As if anything that came off of 4chan could remotely be considered reliable.

    • Re: (Score:1, Troll)

      by lgw ( 121541 )

      One claim is that celebrities are involved in child sex trafficking and pedophilia.

      Wait, how is that in any way controversial? Is it that it's "celebrities", and not just people who make casting decisions. I mean, it's well known at this point that the Coreys were passed around like trading cards when they were children. Corey Haim never seemed to have gotten over the trauma, and couldn't seem to shake the drug habit.

      Regardless, it's not cool that the Android store is removing apps at the behest of the Ministry of Truth. Of course, it is Google so I'm not surprised. YouTube is now au

    • Re: (Score:1, Troll)

      by lgw ( 121541 )

      Another tenet is that Trump is working to take down the so-called "Deep State," a secret network that manipulates and controls government policy.

      Wait, is that at all controversial? I mean, QAnon probably takes it to a crazy place, but there's never been an establish democracy where there wasn't real contention between elected officials and the permanent bureaucracy. The whole premise of the wonderful comedies Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister was the "deep state". (If you haven't seen these, they're the British comedy I find funniest as an adult, do check them out.)

      • "Impermanence is impotence and rotation is castration."

      • Re:4chan... (Score:4, Interesting)

        by jythie ( 914043 ) on Monday May 25, 2020 @05:26PM (#60103696)
        Given that 'deep state' is just a rebranding of 'the jews', yeah, it is still controversial.
        • by lgw ( 121541 )

          Given that 'deep state' is just a rebranding of 'the jews', yeah, it is still controversial.

          Wow, that was a very fast Godwin. You didn't even make an argument before you ran out of arguments.

          • by spun ( 1352 )

            It's absolutely true in this context though. QAnon is a decidedly anti-Semitic conspiracy, and the whole "powerful people are raping and eating children" thing is just a rebranding of the hoary old blood libel.

        • "deep state" was an acceptable concept back when we were saying Donald Rumsfeld was calling the shots. It was an acceptable concept back when we were saying George Tenet was making up shit to force Clinton and later Bush's hand.

          But I guess it's impossible for James Clapper or anyone else to have done anything for their own reasons, of course. There is only one government that acts monolithically, no factions within it, no unelected officials acting in the interests of any particular faction. No no no, that

      • The term "deep state" has come to imply a government system that is murdering kids for political gain (there are people who claim that) among other crazy ideas, so it's not a useful term for bureaucracy anymore. If you don't want people to misunderstand you to be implying that, it's better to use a more precise term in your speech (like "entrenched bureaucracy" or something).
        • by lgw ( 121541 )

          The entrenched bureaucracy includes the intelligence agencies. It's now on the record under oath that they ran intelligence ops against the incoming Trump. The mistake is thinking that's something new with Trump, not normal entrenched bureaucracy. That is absolutely normal entrenched bureaucracy. And since we spent decades thinking it was smart to have intelligence agencies skilled in overthrowing regimes we don't like; well, you reap what you sow.

          At least in modern times the entrenched bureaucracy does

          • Is there any evidence the CIA (or FBI) didn't like Kennedy?
            • As a candidate? Oh man, Kennedy was a Roman Catholic, probably took his orders straight from the Pope! People were indeed worried about such things, as silly as they sound today. You can bet you ass that Hoover investiaged Kennedy and had significant files needed to coerce Kennedy once he was in office.

      • by spun ( 1352 )

        Stop trying to normalize QAnon. It won't work. The conflict between Trump and the deep state comes because Trump is a criminal con man, and the normal citizens who work in permanent government, who you slander as deep state, actually work to uphold the constitution.

        • Trump's beef is that he made promises and then was baffled that he couldn't just sign a paper to make the promises come true. Almost all presidents before realize that they don't hold ultimate power. You may be the most powerful person in the world but that's just an honorary title without any actual substance domestically. This is probably why Trump was so impressed early on with dictators and strong arm leaders like Kim Jong Un, Putin, Duterte, and Xi Jinping, because they seem to do what they want with

      • by Megol ( 3135005 )

        So the dangerous "deep state" is the same as bureaucracy?

        • by lgw ( 121541 )

          Except the bureaucracy is quite dangerous, is the point. We have a ridiculously oversized surveillance apparatus, together with far too many people skilled in overthrowing governments, all holdovers from the Cold War and American adventurism of the 20th century. We don't need those organizations any more, they are a danger, but they won't go away.

      • So every 2 years, or 4, or whenever, we throw out all bureacrats and only let elected officials site behind the desks to actually implement laws (not just create them)? Sure, we'd like elected officials behind the desk at the DMV, it would give us a reason to shout at someone.

        The reason for bureaucrats is that the implement the law as written. If the new administration doesn't like it, then the new administration needs to seek to change the laws. If the bureacrats implemented whatever random thought the p

  • by ardmhacha ( 192482 ) on Monday May 25, 2020 @01:15PM (#60102734)

    The Qanon people take crazy to a whole new level.

    Even Free Republic which tolerates almost all right wing kookiness restricts them to a single thread each day.

    But the right wing is veering off to the nutty fringes at an alarming rate.

    https://www.cnet.com/news/more... [cnet.com]
    "More than 40% of Republicans think Bill Gates will use COVID-19 vaccine to implant tracking chips, survey says

    A survey from Yahoo News and YouGov finds that the conspiracy theory is popular among Fox News viewers, Republicans and Trump voters.

    The representative survey of 1,640 US adults by YouGov for Yahoo News found that half of respondent Americans who say Fox News is their primary television news source believe the conspiracy theory. It's the largest group responding this way, followed by self-described Republicans and "Voted for Donald Trump in 2016" -- 44% of both those groups said they believed the conspiracy theory was true. Twenty-six percent of respondent Republicans said it was false, and 31% said they weren't sure."

    • by dbreeze ( 228599 )

      I'll agree that some with Qanon are...out there... "god emperor Trump" gets on my nerves.

      Qanons are not Q. Q has some interesting questions, references, and observations. Many Qanons are way more reasonable than portrayed, and contribute to discussion and analysis. Some not so much...
      I recommend everyone invest honest time into what Q actually posted. Consider some of Q's questions. Make up your own mind.
      Why hasn't the MSM grilled Trump publicly about knowledge, involvement, approval, etc. of Q? Love? Pro

      • by narcc ( 412956 )

        Why hasn't the MSM grilled Trump publicly about knowledge, involvement, approval, etc. of Q?

        Probably for the same reason they haven't questioned him about his ties to Bigfoot and orthe rumors about his romantic involvement with the Loch Ness Monster.

        • Why hasn't the MSM grilled Trump publicly about knowledge, involvement, approval, etc. of Q?

          Probably for the same reason they haven't questioned him about his ties to Bigfoot and orthe rumors about his romantic involvement with the Loch Ness Monster.

          Hey now, there could be some plausibility to those ties!

          After all, it's obvious that Nessy is a Paleo-Con.

          Strat

        • by dbreeze ( 228599 )

          Wouldn't the MSM want to get him tied to it? It is a significant part of his support. Should be low-hanging fruit for any reporter wanting to put Trump in a bind and/or discredit Q.

    • Qanon is a small subculture that's often about as useful as astrology.

      The tracking chips claim isn't really related nor is it merely a fringe concern. There's a basis for that. Bill Gates started talking about digital certificates for people to show if they've been vaccinated or not. It seems today that people want to disregard everything they don't like as a conspiracy theory rather than bothering to investigate the underpinning. The term is worn out and as meaningless as the terms racist, nazi, etc.
      • Trump is draining the swamp and has proven that government is rife with complacency and corruption.

        At best, Trump is merely emptying and refilling positions so that their corruption aligns better with his. I mean, the swamp might be full - but you don't drain it just to make room for more swamp.

    • I did see a facebook re-share a couple of days ago about "I will never accept a chip implented in me; please share this if you're not too scared." I thought it was just general kookiness until I realized that the chip thing was making the rounds again (it periodically comes and goes, especially when phrased as the mark-of-the-beast).

  • Good!! (Score:2, Interesting)

    Good for google, I'm sure Foxnews will start their own app store any day now to host the QAnon apps + Glenn Beck apps + whatever trash Alex Jones is pedaling.

    If I offended anyone.. Sorry you are that stupid and paranoid...

  • Before you start complaining about freedom of speech, Mr. Trump Supporter, recall that Google is a private company. Your freedom extends to the government, not to private individuals and companies. You see, our Founding Fathers were all Illuminati and knew hundreds of years into the future as everything has been totally planned. There's no such thing as just random events. None whatsoever including your desire to reply to this very comment. Go on, fight the inevitable.
    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by lgw ( 121541 )

      efore you start complaining about freedom of speech, Mr. Trump Supporter, recall that Google is a private company.

      They're not though. They're a publicly held corporation, and such things only get whatever rights we the people decide they should, as they have no natural rights. Unlike a partnership or closely held corporation (which is just a different kind of partnership), the owners of a publicly held corporation have no common interest beyond profit (unless the corporate charter says otherwise, which it doesn't here), and so you can't argue that any behavior beyond profit-seeking is an extension of the rights of th

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by gbjbaanb ( 229885 )

      The government gets involved in private comapnies for all kinds of reasons - competition laws and monopolies, financial regulations, etc.

      That they should also enforce free speech to companies like Google that provide the platforms used by everyone makes sense too. If a company is forced to obey the rules around media content, taking down paedophile content etc, then they can also be made to ensure everyone has the right be participate in these "walled gardens".

      As it is though, morally they should be forced:

    • by HiThere ( 15173 )

      That *is* a real problem. Monopoly positions should be strictly regulated by government oversight, but "monopoly" doesn't mean "no competition", merely "more than about 60% of the market", and the government oversight needs strict regulations to avoid regulatory capture. Something like "no regulator may ever, even after retiring, accept any emolument whatsoever from any agent or agency they have had regulatory power over"...with teeth in the enforcement. Possibly confiscation of their entire wealth and a

    • by narcc ( 412956 )

      Illuminati? Please. As a Freemason, I can tell you with certainty, after yesterday's game, that they suuuuuck at softball. Eat it Illosernati!

    • Before you start complaining about freedom of speech, Mr. Trump Supporter, recall that Google is a private company.

      I can just predict where you stand on net neutrality too, even though those are private companies too.

  • I have no idea what/who QAnon is, but it turns out that celebrities and politicians ARE involved at child sex trafficking. What do you think Epstein was doing before he "killed himself"??? The girls were as young as 12 years old! I am not a conspiracy theory nut, but 12 year olds were being raped. So yeah, great job Google. How is any of this "progressive"?
    • True, the thing is that is about getting people compromised, getting the photos of them in bed with the minor. Blackmail of rich and powerful. That is what Epstein did to prince Andrew, and much of his operation was about. 101 stuff to people in spy world, but something for average person to think about: Epstein was sexual predator who trained girls to sleep with powerful and celebs so he could threaten reveal. Qanon constantly threatens reveal on rich and powerful, claiming to be high level spy. Its a murk

    • by kqs ( 1038910 ) on Monday May 25, 2020 @04:44PM (#60103598)

      And that's how conspiracy theories work: start with a kernel of something reasonable, then take it to crazy.

      So: child sex trafficking happens. Sometimes it is done by powerful people. Reasonable.

      Hillary Clinton and the DNC run a pedophile ring out of the basement of a particular pizza shop in DC (this shop has no basement). We know this because they sent emails around talking about what kind of pizza to order, and Clever People decoded these emails somehow. No other evidence, no missing kids. Does that sound reasonable to you? Welcome to QAnon.

    • by sphealey ( 2855 )

      = = = What do you think Epstein was doing before he "killed himself"??? = = =

      That's a good question. I suggest we should get William Barr under oath in front of a House committee with staff support from career prosecutors, require him to cite chapter and verse on the penalty for lying to Congress, and then ask him those questions.

    • I have no idea what/who QAnon is

      Me either, but the summary also mentioned Media Matters, which is a pure propaganda and misinformation outlet.

      ..and if Media Matters was against QAnon, ... then there must be something right about QAnon.

    • Death in prison as a resuly of incompetent and uncaring authorities is extremely common in the US. See this article [theatlantic.com] for several examples.

  • QAnon is fake; it's a bunch of LARP-ing 4chan mischief makers having a great time manipulating the gullible. On the other hand, there is something non-fake about rich and powerful people having a taste for pedophilia. Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew, and Jimmy Saville are three easy ones. There are certainly more who haven't been caught. It's probably not so much a vast conspiracy as a side effect of wholly unaccountable elites.

    And Trump himself says he is fighting against the Deep State. That would be the
    • by HiThere ( 15173 )

      Everybody keeps missing the real scandal. Yes, Flynn was treated unfairly....but that's the way the FBI (and many other "police" agencies) treat every suspect. False imprisonment and conviction is routine.

    • That would be the Deep State that promoted the Russia hoax, claiming Trump was acting as an agent of Russia.

      Nobody is claiming that. It's just not clear what Trump's relationship with Russia is. Can you tell us what Trump and Putin talked about at their meeting in Helsinki? Or can you name any American citizen other than Trump himself who knows it? You can't, because they met alone, so now only Trump, Putin and the Russian FSB know what transpired there. That's a legitimate cause for concern, and if the "deep state" -- which is really just bullshit AltRight code for "rule of law" -- is concerned about this, then

      • Nobody is claiming that.

        You're right. Nobody _is_ claiming that, because it's widely acknowledged to be a stupid conspiracy theory. However for the last few years it was pushed by fake news vendors from the likes of the WaPo and NYT down to bottom feeders like CNN and MSNBC. Some people won a Pulitzer over this ridiculous conspiracy theory. More significantly, the Democrat/left leaning deep state brass running the DOJ, FBI, and CIA were pushing it. However today many of those government actors have been fired, and anybody still em

        • I'm still waiting for those names of American citizens other than Trump himself who know what Trump and Putin talked about in Helsinki. Oh right, you can't name any. Or maybe you could tell us what Trump's financial interests are in Russia or other foreign countries that don't have the US's best interests at heart. It appears you can't do that either, because Trump hasn't divested from his business and isn't releasing his tax returns.

          But obviously you think it's totally cool that President Trump has unk

  • by bowljoman ( 6614708 ) on Monday May 25, 2020 @02:59PM (#60103282)
    I just lived through a years-long conspiracy theory centering on President Trump paying for golden showers, and how Putin was controlling America by blackmailing the President. I find the only thing crazier than mid-stream qanon are the Anti-Trumpers who act like this pee pee tape conspiracy didnt dominate their news cycle after they found out the FBI was investigating Carter Page's CIA cover story.
    • The weirdest thing about the pee tape is that the dossier alleges that hookers peed on a bed once used by Obama.

      Even if that bizarre conspiracy was true, why would anyone care about a video of Obama's bed getting peed on?

    • To be clear, no one has seen this tape (though Guiliani at one time had a really specific description of the tape he's never seen), or that anyone is claiming that Trump is a Russian asset, merely that Trump is acting as if he is a Russian asset, and that in many instances it appears his interests lie closer to Putin than America. But he could obviously be doing that for other reasons, say in support of his business interests, and not to specifically destroy America.
    • by Ksevio ( 865461 )

      The dossier isn't a conspiracy theory, it's raw intelligence that even the creator said doesn't contain 100% accurate info. That being said, nothing in it has been shown to be false yet though I still doubt the pee tape part. If you think that was the "center" of the Russia probe where the investigation found multiple links between the president and Russia interfering with the US election then you might be a victim of Q

  • ... is still censorship. Internet will find a way around Google. This will be ineffective, and Google is compromising principles of free speech. (and don't give me BS about private company, if common carrier exists - Google is it)
    • "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"

      From https://constitutioncenter.org... [constitutioncenter.org]

      I'm not sure that Google is, yet, the Congress of the USA. Compromising free speech? Nope, they are not Congress, you if you use Google, you accept Google's rules, and their rules differ from those lai

  • this is a garbage concept with zero burden of proof

  • "Q"anon stands for Query as in query the social media for conspiracy theories and from those create a story that appears to parallel real events. Qanon is a toy version as it is to play with the minds of those following conspiracy in an effort to alter them on some way or another.

    The Adult version also is used to query social media and more, as in spying on Americans in all the ways the spy industry does and using controlled Main Stream Propaganda Media (AKA MSM). A feedback loop is created and used to mani

    • by 3seas ( 184403 )

      missed a link
      so it and supporting links
      You've heard of deep fakes, well it applies to story telling too.
      see section "D" AI Safety
      https://3seas.org/Voice_of_Glo... [3seas.org]
      Industry wide Cheat
      https://abstractionphysics.net... [abstractionphysics.net]
      Should be obvious. And the ongoing illusions
      https://abstractionphysics.net... [abstractionphysics.net]

      • by 3seas ( 184403 )

        Sorry guys, a cut an past containing a character that Slashdot read wrong and mucked up my first post - below is how it shoudl have read (without the "less than sign")

        "Q"anon stands for Query as in query the social media for conspiracy theories and from those create a story that appears to parallel real events. Qanon is a toy version as it is to play with the minds of those following conspiracy in an effort to alter them on some way or another.

        The Adult version also is used to query social media and more, a

  • by RightwingNutjob ( 1302813 ) on Monday May 25, 2020 @09:27PM (#60104190)
    The reason to refrain from censorship is not to support the 999 whackjobs who want to sell you magic beans that cure gayness in frogs or treasure maps to where all the jew gold is buried. The reason to refrain from censorship is to avoid squashing the 1 guy who tells you that the Earth really does go around the Sun, that microscopic organisms cause disease and can be washed away with soap and water, and that yes the president did have sexual relations with that woman and that it was wrong.
    • by narcc ( 412956 )

      I use a spam filter so that important messages don't get lost in a sea of nonsense.

      If my censorship means that I miss an important message from a Nigerian prince who needs my help, that's a price I'm willing to pay.

  • I despise conspiracy theories, and the idiotic QAnon is right up there with the worst...

    But the people who buy into QAnon, and most who support Trump but do not believe the QAnon crap, have all watched as the DOJ, CIA, FBI, IRS and State Department used Russian propaganda compiled by a British spy on the payroll of the Clinton campaign and the DNC to try to destroy Trump and his supporters, with the entire 4-year long scam aided by the mainstream press, and large number of Obama admin people who said one th

    • by narcc ( 412956 )

      By muzzling numerous right-wing voices, and now going for QAnon, Google is just pouring kerosene onto the flames.

      Well, "flames" implies that it's an active movement that is spreading uncontrollably. This is more of a small group of very noisy people and their alts being whipped in to a frenzy by fun-seeking trolls from 4chan.

      Most conservatives are perfectly ordinary people, not the nuts we're seeing center stage today. The "right-wing" voices that you think are being silenced were always there, just part of an extremely tiny fringe that the overwhelming majority of folks on the right were happy to ignore if they eve

    • by Ksevio ( 865461 )

      "I don't believe these idiotic conspiracy theories"

      proceeds to list off more idiotic conspiracy theories

  • Sounds like... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by JoeyDot ( 5981942 ) on Tuesday May 26, 2020 @04:31AM (#60104844)
    Harmful information? Sounds like how China justifies filtering the web.

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