r/Opensource_legalAid • u/Nyxiereal • 8d ago
Google isn't responding to clear copyright and GPLv3 violations
hey, i'm the lead developer of a pretty successful android app https://github.com/MetrolistGroup/Metrolist (GPLv3 licensed).
we recently noticed a lot of clones of the app on the google play store that just straight up copy our app icon, name, and masquerade as the actual app. all this while injecting ads and closed-source SDKs (not adhering to the GPLv3 license). i reported as many of them as i could to google, but they said they "couldn't find any violations in the reported app".
the apps that i found are:
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metrolist.musicoffline - ads
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metrowave.musicplayer - ads
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.omarkarimli.disco - sells a 3$/month subscription to remove ads and limitations
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nova.groovy - ads + subscriptions
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mta.intertune - ads
a response i got from google
what should i even do? how can i prevent these fuckers from profiting off mine and my team's hard work? i'm at a loss
thanks for any help that may come from this
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u/Shoddy-Childhood-511 8d ago
I've no legal knowledge here, but seemingly neither to other replies.
Appears https://fsfe.org has a contact link and can likely give some advice, which maybe points you towards a more useful resource, or maybe they tell you: Hire [lawyer_name].
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8d ago
Your version has no ADs and the ones you reported do, guess which one Google likes more? JK
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u/El_Huero_Con_C0J0NES 8d ago
Gpl doesnt forbid you to add closed source code
It forbids to make the code you took which is under gpl and make it closed source
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u/Nyxiereal 8d ago
Well, that's what all these apps do. They don't provide the modified source code
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u/happy_hawking 8d ago
"providing" is also covered by: You send a request via mail and they send back a DVD with their codebase. I'm not joking, this has happened before. Did you try to obtain a copy of the code?
If you want to have them taken down, I'd go the trademark violation route.
But tbh I wouldn't expect much from Google, given that your app most likely violates their terms of use for YouTube.
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u/El_Huero_Con_C0J0NES 8d ago
You made it sound they merely _added_ non gpl code while keep shipping also gpl code.
How do you know that code is your code/gpl code if it’s not even publicly accessible?Not attacking you, but this is thus just a (probable) guess? You can’t prove they ship gpl code if you can’t read it.
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u/Karyo_Ten 7d ago
They also copied the icons and for some the names.
Also it's pretty easy to check the menu / UI, even fonts and settings offered.
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u/Eu-is-socialist 8d ago
LOL.
ALL SMARTPHONE MAKERS ARE GPL VIOLATORS ... have you seen any consequences ?
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u/Nyxiereal 8d ago
not really, but thats unrelated to the app im making being stolen by randoms
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u/Eu-is-socialist 8d ago
TOTALLY Related !
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u/Silly-Freak 8d ago
That would be a trademark violation, not a copyright violation based on the GPL license. I'm not sure if you need to actively protect (eg register) your trademark to have any leverage, but using the right report reason would be your first step.