Dating apps related to “compensated sexual relationships” will be banned from the Play Store from September 1.
Google has announced that ‘Sugar Dating’ apps will no longer be allowed going forward.
They already prohibited “services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation.”
But they’ve now updated the literature to include apps for users that are seeking “compensated dating or sexual arrangements where one participant is expected or implied to provide money, gifts or financial support to another participant (‘sugar dating’).”
It comes after Google announced a reduction in the fees it charges for Android apps featured in the Play store.
As of July 1, the tech giant has taken 15% from the first $1 million (£720,000) in sales each year, which includes the apps and any digital goods sold within them.
The change came following a similar announcement by Apple late last year.
Once you make over $1 million, the larger cut will apply, although the number of developers this will impact is very small.
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As noted by Google, only around 3% of Android developers charge for either downloading the app or for additional digital in-app purchases.
Of that tiny amount, just 1% of those make more than $1 million.
Sameer Samat – Google’s VP, Product Management – wrote in a blog post: “As a platform we do not succeed unless our partners succeed.
“Android and Google Play have always listened to our developer partners from around the world and we continue to take their input into account as we build and run the ecosystem.
“We look forward to seeing more businesses scale to new heights on Android, and to further discussions with our developer community to find new ways to support them technically and economically as they build their businesses.” – IOL
