Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store
So we got notified by the developer console at 21:45 UTC that the app had been suspended, but still haven’t had an email to explain why - it’s 02:24 now.<p>Our assumption that this is due to someone reporting abusive content in Matrix to Google, and Element catching the blame — although this is currently speculation.<p>To be clear: Element is a Matrix client just as Chrome is a Web browser, and just as it’s possible to view abusive material via Chrome, the same is true of Element.<p>However, we abhor abuse, and on the default matrix.org server (and other Matrix servers the core team maintains) we have a fairly strict terms of use at <a href="https://matrix.org/legal/terms-and-conditions#6-play-nice-clauses" rel="nofollow">https://matrix.org/legal/terms-and-conditions#6-play-nice-cl...</a> which we proactively enforce. Meanwhile we have a comprehensive toolset at <a href="https://matrix.org/docs/guides/moderation" rel="nofollow">https://matrix.org/docs/guides/moderation</a> to help folks moderate, and are making good process with decentralised reputation to empower users and admins to filter out stuff they don’t want to see, as per <a href="https://matrix.org/blog/2020/10/19/combating-abuse-in-matrix-without-backdoors" rel="nofollow">https://matrix.org/blog/2020/10/19/combating-abuse-in-matrix...</a>.<p>So, it’s very unfortunate and frustrating that we’re in this position - hopefully Google will explain what’s going on shortly.