Google has dropped UC
Browser, the Alibaba Group-owned mobile web browser. Google noticed UC amid
alleged data sharing.
Reports began to appear early on Wednesday over the
sudden removal.
Users on technology forum
Reddit said the move may have been prompted because UC Browser would serve up
ads from its affiliate entities to increase downloads, it breaks the Google’s
policies.Mike Ross, who claimed to work
at UC Browser, tweeted: “I work for UC Browser, I got mail today morning it
said that UC Browser was temporarily removed from play store for 30 days
because it used “Misleading” and “Unhealthy” methods of promotion to increase
installs.”
“We were informed by Google
Play about temporary removal of UC Browser from the Play Store for 7 days,
beginning 13 November 2017, under the reason that a certain setting of UC
Browser is not in line with Google’s policy. We have conducted an urgent
internal investigation and fixed the problem. The new version has been uploaded
on Google Play’s Developer Console and is awaiting evaluation. We will actively
cooperate with Google Play for any concern caused by this unintentional error,”
a UC Browser spokesperson said in an email in response to Mint’s queries. The allegations against UC Browser are not new. Reports surfaced in August
that India’s information technology (IT) department was reviewing the app after
it received complaints that user data was allegedly being sent to Chinese
entities, without the consent of the user, and even after the app was
uninstalled.The Times of India reported
then, citing an IT department official, that UC Browser may face a ban in India
if the allegations were found to be true. “We can’t comment
on individual apps, but all apps on Google Play must comply with our terms of
service,” a spokesperson replied.
UC Browser is the flagship app
of UC Web Inc., a part of Alibaba’s Mobile Business Group, which includes
products like UC Ads and UC News.
The browser, which recently
hit 500 million downloads globally, is fairly popular in India, where the
company claims it has 100 million monthly active users.
It had a 45.08% market share
in India in October, according to Stat Counter.
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