Grooveshark Pulled from Android Market for Violating “Terms of Service”

by: Kellex | posted 04.06.11 | Apps, News

Grooveshark received the axe last night from Google and is no longer available on the Android Market due to violating their “terms of service.” There has been no indication as to what specific terms were violated, but its removal happened on the eve of a Google lawyer’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee over concerns that they profit from piracy by allowing sites to post up their ads.

This all could be one giant coincidence though, but the fact that the music industry has long targeted Grooveshark as a service filled with piracy makes the timing seem about right. Although, we could also argue that these two are completely unrelated since the House Committee is looking into websites rather than apps and could point more towards the finalization of Google Music. Last year, Apple felt some pressure from the music industry and removed Grooveshark, so with Google attempting to lock down final contracts with record labels, this could be one of those last steps needed in order to move forward.

And this is just a random thought, but man, doesn’t it seem like things are really changing for the worse in this Android world lately? No more source code, Google tightening up Android policies with manufacturers, rumors of massive carrier lockdown strategies to battle rooted users, and now this?

Via: CNET

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Anonymous

Funny they would remove GrooveShark but not the hundreds of other “free music downloaders” on the market that allow users to download pirated mp3′s from google searches… meh
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Shanklin07

I agree, things are getting worse. I don’t look to the future with optimism anymore. All the small changes going on are part of a bigger picture. We have a choice in this matter though, that is the only thing we have to hold on to.
Jawshua

Yeah it’s just another example of a company being so large they no longer care, or are in touch with their customers. They just care about the bottom line and assume since they make so much money and have a larger user base, that they can do no wrong and treat people however they please.

A great example of this is Rovio on the Apple App store that I saw on my iPod. They are huge and they decided to add advertisements to Angry Birds, the version you pay for. And as most people know, a privilege of paying for an App is that there are no ads like in the free or demo version. But, Rovio not thinking of their customers and just focusing on money and advertising, added those in app ads to the game. And thankfully, the public spoke up in an outrage and gave Angry Birds horrible reviews and lowered their ratings to one or two stars. So, the game dropped from the long standing five stars, down to three. And of course Rovio didn’t want that bad mark on their image, so they finally removed the ads, from the paid version. And basically I’m just pointing that out because it shows what people can do when they don’t let companies get away with screwing over the consumer, just like Google is doing with all the stuff listed and other things, like making the refund time on purchases go from 24 hours to a crappy 15 minutes. So I think more people need to stand up and voice their option and distaste for these bad practices and speak out and show these companies with your wallet how unhappy we are.
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http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=710530141 Tyler Buchanan

Sooo they’re consumers have a right to pirate music and they’re crossing the line by prevent people from stealing? Yeah that’s a great argument.
thebigmann

It’d be cool to see some sort of Android developer organization created that can push back against some of these changes. Right now, we’re at the mercy of the carriers in many respects since they have the most influence over Android policies. Where’s the developer union? Haha
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XorDie

theyre thinkning of themselves a lot more than theyre thinking of the consumers. Obviously they need to look out for theyre best interests but i feel they crossed the line somewhere here
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Aaa aaa

personally i just use tinyshark app: look it up!
Eric

as a dev I can tell you they are getting worse. 30 day payouts, apps being pulled from the market without specific information as to why, changing the payout system again. Seems like they are trying to be more like Apple every week.
http://twitter.com/ShawnKhameneh Shawn Khameneh

I chose Android because of it’s flexibility.
Every day something promising dies, thank you Google for slowly killing what I knew Android to be.

Hell, just release sources like you did before and just tighten policies regarding use of proprietary apps such (Market, Maps, etc).
Anonymous

Tinyshark is better anway, you don’t get charged 3$ a month to use it.
Anonymous

I can understand the reasoning behind it, but the whole reason for me choosing Android was “more choice”. Well choices are starting to become strangled, making this no different than any idevice.
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I_ShotEm_All

Android is becoming Apple.I thought I left that bullshit behind 3 phones ago.
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http://twitter.com/azurikai Austin Witherow

I doubt it has anything to do with google tightening up anything, they probably just violated some term of service & it will be corrected soon. stop with the ‘changes for the worse’ nonsense, please. its making me not want to read this blog.
Anonymous

I see this as a business move that Google has to make. It’s all fun and games to release the freedom with great technology that set them apart from Apple. But, sooner or later as we see with so many lawsuits and just plain corporate business, you have to shake hands with the devil sooner or later.

As, consumers, along with the rest of the “Rooting Community” for example there is a business side that takes presedence, a well as stake holders that dictate about the bottom line. direction, revenue, and corporate decisions along with staying away form lawsuits, as well as not pissing off the music industry if you want to do business with them.

I think we are seeing Google tightening up due to business interest and protecting whats theres now and moving forward to position themselves better with future technologies. Google has learned one thing already, not to put all of your Easter Eggs into one basket in consumer technology, it’s a fleeting industry.
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http://twitter.com/cheese cheese

lets not kid ourselves here. this is more of a notice that Google Music is upon us very soon.
http://twitter.com/cheese cheese

lets not kid ourselves here. this is more of a notice that Google Music is upon us very soon.
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http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10215724 Raj Bhatt

Try Tinyshark. Free access to Grooveshark’s music, and no ridiculous monthly fee.
http://photo.katzmatt.com Matt Katzenberger

Grumblegrumblegrumblegruble.
Anonymous

I think you’re overreacting a bit. Apps that violate the ToS are being removed; just because a blind or busy eye was the norm prior, doesn’t change the fact that they were violating the ToS and it was only a matter of time. Honeycomb isn’t finished, so it’s not available. The Xoom was clearly a marketing maneuvre to combat the iPad 2, so it’s more of a beta, dev device than anything else. As for Google using their leverage to push things on the manufacturers, so what? It ends with better devices for all of us, unless you like having manufacturer skins.

Take a deep breath and tell yourself everything is going to be fine. Go play some Fruit Ninja and get all of that anxiety out.

Andrew

Totally agree.
Anonymous

I agree. The Android market is a walled garden JUST LIKE THE iOS APP STORE.

The ONLY difference is sideloading. That is Android’s special sauce. That differentiates Android from iOS.

And yes, the XOOM was a glorified dev device. The 3G version was intentionally given an absurd price just so only Android fanboys would buy it. Anyone else would get it, break it and they would permanently leave Android. Google doesn’t want that to happen. They want Flash, SD support and other Android differentiators to be baked in by the time your grandmother gets her tablet.

We need to get our head out of the clouds and understand that Android isn’t infallible, but criticizing it doesn’t permanently demonize it either. There’s a middle of the road. It’s called realism.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=710530141 Tyler Buchanan

So the difference is, one walled garden you’re stuck in, while the other you can freely walk in and out of. If you can freely walk in and out of it, that defeats the purpose of the Apple walled garden.
Anonymous

No, that is not the only difference. Apple must approve every single app that makes it to their store, not so on the android market which also has far more lenient rules. If the market is a walled garden that makes apple’s app store an impenetrable force field.

MK17

I’m not really worried anymore. I have yet to really lose anything. I feel that Android is growing fast and if you grow to fast you can’t stand up, so they are restricting some things to hopefully be better in the end.

All we can hope is that Google remains open enough to stick it to the carriers.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1501095082 Chris Hughes

The world is changing folks. Google has it’s market share, it’s crushed RIM and SYMBIAN. Now your only choice is iOS, Android, or nothing.

Cry as and complain as you might, but those are the facts. Sure you could say “I’ll get my Palm Pre!” …but really…will you?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=25001493 Hank Godwin

If this sort of thing continues, it may be time to give WebOS a try.
Pizzlewizzle

Damnit I was just searching for this yesterday…anyone got an .apk

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10215724 Raj Bhatt

Why? It has a 4 or 5dollar monthly fee. Try Tinyshark, it accesses grooveshark for free.

Davidukfl

The bigger android gets and the more people who use it the more things like this are gonna happen.
Android is now an established OS and on multiple platforms and carriers. There is no reason for Google to keep it as “open” as it has been in the past.
Now is the time for them to start making money, and the way to do that is to keep other big companies happy and charge consumers for as much as possible.

http://photo.katzmatt.com Matt Katzenberger

http://gizmodo.com/#!5785983/android-may-be-the-greatest-legal-destruction-of-wealth-in-history

A lot of people seem to think Android isn’t meant to make money directly, it’s meant to help Google keep hold of the mobile search market.
http://twitter.com/cheese cheese

Android OS makes its money through search, voice search, ads, and data analytics.

the purpose is to give out Android OS to as many folks as possible.
http://twitter.com/cheese cheese

Android OS makes its money through search, voice search, ads, and data analytics.

the purpose is to give out Android OS to as many folks as possible.

Davros / aka Chris Nimon

Agreed, all the things I love about Android are being taken away. 6 moths ago I was all “Android for Life”, now I cant help but wonder where Android will be in 2 years. I’m sure it will still be the best OS but how locked down is it gonna get?
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Teabling

it really does sound like google is being forced into this from some outside source. they are feeling pressure from someone and are doing their best to maintain their base. if things do get locked down and shut out, i’ll still support Android and Google, root or no root.
Mth2134

I think I read this in Revelations… The android lock down marked the return of Jesus and End of Days.

Anonymous

With Apple as Satan, Amazon as the New Prince of Evil and Android as the White Knight (Green) Knight in Shining Android Titanum

The Observer

Our worst days with Android are still better than the best of days with Apple/iOS.

Anonymous

I like that point of view. 100% agree.
Anonymous

Our worse days may be yet to come.
Phrozen

I have to agree that I think our situation is still better atm, but I can’t help but not like where things are going. I just hope that the stream of bad news for the community slows up here. There has just been a hailstorm of bad news lately.
http://photo.katzmatt.com Matt Katzenberger

And having a hand chopped off is better than losing your head…
…just sayin’.
jason w.s.

Lol, you guys are relentless with the bitterness. I have to disagree with you, thats just my opinion though…this is still my favorite site always will be.

Anonymous

Android to Apple: We like your style. We beat you in smartphone sales, now we’re going to beat you in control.

Amazon to Android: Not if we can help it.
Goblueboy

i found this on comment on phandroid. Tinyshark is still there and it is free.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=674902817 Zach Davis

Googlers gonna google
Padrick77

However unlike iOS we can still install it and use it even though it is not from the android market.