The Android fine print: Kill switch and other tidbits
Found on Computerworld on Wednesday, 15 October 2008
In the Android Market terms of service, Google expressly says that it might remotely remove an application from a user's phone.
Google says that if it does remotely remove an application, it will try to get users their money back, a question that iPhone users have wondered about in the case of an iPhone application recall.
Looks like today every company thinks it needs to play nanny. Having a central point of control isn't really helping; in fact, it's counterproductive. Imagine someone releases an application which creates an anonymous network (by eg porting TOR), or a P2P application (like a torrent client) or an encryption software (like TrueCrypt). Now imagine a court rules that application illegal, because it allows (you've guessed it) child pornography, copyright violations or hindering law enforcement (by encrypting your terroristic plans). Then Google could be forced to remove all such installations.