According to a report by Newsweek, Google has removed a mobile app from its Google Play Store that informed users about companies supporting Israel, advocating for their boycott due to the ongoing war in Gaza , Google Removes App Aiding Boycott of Israel-Supporting Companies Amid Gaza Conflict.
The “No Thanks Boycott” account on Platform X announced that its mobile app, named No Thanks, was temporarily suspended from the Google Play Store due to a line in the description mentioning Israel. The account shared a screenshot of the description line, stating, “The app was suspended from the Play Store for this sentence. I have removed it in the new update, and the Play Store will review and re-launch it.”
The contentious sentence read, “Welcome to No Thanks, where you can find out if the product in your hand supports the killing of children in Palestine or not. All you have to do is scan the barcode or type the serial number in the search bar.”
The ongoing war waged by Israel on Gaza, following the Operation Flood of Al-Aqsa which began on October 7, has sparked large-scale demonstrations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and around the world. This is largely due to Israeli bombardment targeting thousands of Palestinian civilians, especially children.
The No Thanks app was first announced on Platform X on November 7, where its Palestinian developer stated, “I am a Palestinian developer and have created an app that will help everyone in the boycott movement. All you need to do is scan the product’s barcode, and it will inform you, and the app will soon be released on Android and iOS.”
In another post, the app shared a video showing someone using the program to scan barcodes in a store to determine if the company actively supports Israel. The post encouraged, “Download the app and help us boycott products that support these massacres.”
Source: Newsweek
