Adamu Garba Claimed Crowwe App was Removed for an Update but this is False
Written by Nanji Nandang on June 18, 2021
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Claim: The CEO of Crowwe application and one-time presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, has claimed that he asked Google to take down his social media platform from Google Playstore because he needed to update the App.
But Verification has shown that Google only removes applications that are perceived to have violated its policy, and that Applications must not necessarily be removed for Updates. So the claim is false
Full story
Following the announcement of the ban on Twitter by the Nigerian Government, the Chief Executive Officer, IPI Group, Adamu Garba, recently presented the Crowwe app as an alternative to the microblogging website.
Meanwhile, a publication by Peoples Gazette on Monday, June 14, 2021, stated that Google had deleted Crowwe App days after the federal government suspended Twitter.
The publication noted that the app has since received terrible reviews which could be responsible for its disappearance on the play store app.
Screenshots of Peoples Gazette publication and Twitter post
In reaction to the publication, Garba made a statement on Tuesday the 15th of June 2021, that he asked Google to take Crowwe down because he needed to update the App.
Garba in an interview with Punch, on Monday, said there was a bug affecting the contact list information, so he had to submit a support report to take it down which was done, and the app would be back latest by Tuesday Morning.
Screenshot of Punch publication on Monday
Verification
To verify this claim, Dubawa visited the Google play store on Tuesday to check if the app has been uploaded but it appears the App is still missing.
This prompted Dubawa to verify if the App needs to be taken down to fix technical issues.
So Dubawa inquired from the CEO/co-founder of a Tech Company, Elesaro, Johnpaul Nwobodo, who said an application must not be removed before any update, as users can download the update on the Playstore.
Adding that, even if the App must be removed for any technical update, it is the developer or the company that is meant to remove the app, not the host, in other words, “not Google“.
Dubawa checked on Google Play Console help, and it revealed that the Developer just needs to submit the app bundle or APK and Once the update is published, it will be distributed to existing users.
Another look at a programming site, Quora.com, Venkatramanan Ramasubramanian, a mobile application developer said that a company does not necessarily have to remove an application before updating it.
Dubawa discovered that Google removes applications that are perceived to have violated its policy.
Has the Crowwe App Violated Google Policy?
Recall that Dubawa verified a claim by critics, that Crowwe’s Terms and Conditions were copied from another app, Spotify and it turns out the claim is true.
So Dubawa checked some of the app reviews by users and found one threatening complaint by Hollarisky, on 06/14/2021, to sue the Play Store.
Screenshot of Hollarisky’s complain
Dubawa went on to studied the Google Play store terms and policies and it states that Google can take down apps that cause harm or liability to a user, third party, or Google — for example, by hacking, phishing, harassing, spamming, misleading others, or scraping content that doesn’t belong to you.
Google Play store Policy reads “Once your app is removed, the published version of your app won’t be available on Google Play until a compliant update is submitted,” “Until a policy violation has been fixed, don’t republish a removed app,”
About Crowwe App
Crowwe is a Nigerian multi-purpose app built to ensure privacy in instant messaging and financial transaction apps that comes with a digital wallet that helps to transfer and receive money while chatting.
The Crowwe app, which has been described as the Nigerian multi-purpose app, built to ensure privacy in instant messaging, ease mobile payment, connect with friends and family while building business and life, has received the worst reviews, with a 1.1 Rating from the App store.
Screenshot of App Preview
Conclusion
Dubawa’s verification has shown that Google removes applications that are perceived to have violated its policy, and that Applications must not necessarily be removed for Updates. As of the time of filing this report, the Crowwe App is still missing from the play store. So this is to say that Adamu Garba’s claim that he asked Google to take down his social media platform from Google Playstore because he needed to update the code, is False
The researcher produced this fact-check per the 2021 Kwame Karikari Fact-checking Fellowship partnership with JAY 101.9 FM Jos to facilitate the ethos of truth in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country
