Apps like Grok are explicitly banned under Google’s rules—why is it still in the Play Store?
Google describes apps exactly like Grok and says they are banned from Google Play.
https://arstechnica.com/google/2026/01/apps-like-grok-are-explicitly-banned-under-googles-rules-why-is-it-still-in-the-play-store/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social
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A smartphone shows Ani, a virtual anime-style assistant character featured in the Grok 4 AI chatbot developed by xAI. Credit: Cheng Xin / Contributor | Getty Images News
I'm glad someone like Ars Technica is saying it. It makes it harder for Google to pretend not to have heard.
@arstechnica because the head of google is good friends with his CSAM-creating peer. Perhaps they spend the evenings together enjoying the latest images.
They are still in play on the Google store because the fossil fuel industry owns & operates tech.
#PrinceBonesaw, OPEC, and Koch Network run this operation to increase societal dysfunction & make money off it.
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/wall-street-mbs-saudi-al-rumayyan/
https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/saudi-prince-mbs-silicon-valley-east-palo-alto-12799624.php
@arstechnica Because who commits the offense will always be more important to the entrenched power structure than what offense is committed.
That's how fascism and its adherents always behave.
Google, Apple, Meta, OpenAI... Who else paid Trump's tribute? They are intentionally complicit in ways large and small.
So Musk can identify and blackmail twitter users who make child sexual assault materials, and force them to crime for the billionaires.
@arstechnica what a derpy question to ask as a journalist.
@arstechnica saw and reported this ad on YouTube, Google/alphabet said it didn't break any of their rules.
@arstechnica there also used to be a rule that apps names need to be at least two characters. Rules change when you are a big company like X Inc
@arstechnica
Because Grok and Google are working together with the Trump admin to destroy democracy.
@arstechnica so Apple have banned it from app store already? I guess not getting invited to next iOverpricedJunk launch isn't great for conde neste bottom lines.
They're a major competitor in the #AI space so I presumed this was to avoid accusations that they were being #Anticompetitive by banning #Grok. 