Software:Disconnect

From HandWiki

Disconnect is a partly open source[1] browser extension and mobile app designed to stop non-consensual third party trackers,[2] and providing private web search and private web browsing.[3] On mobile, it is available for Android and iPhone. It was developed by Brian Kennish and Casey Oppenheim. Disconnect-Search had once been the default search engine of the security-focused Tor Browser, which now uses DuckDuckGo.[4][5] The Electronic Frontier Foundation compared the app to its own Privacy Badger browser plugin.[2]

The app was banned from the Google Play Store five days after its release in late August 2014. Google cited a violation of its Terms of Service which prohibit developers from using its store "to distribute apps that interfere with or disrupt the services of any third party".[2][6] This, however, attracted criticism from parties such as EFF (and Disconnect itself) which saw this app as privacy-friendly, and argue that Google's motivations are primarily based on the fact that this app interferes with ad-based revenue models of numerous companies, including Google itself.[2][7][8][9] The app was restored to the Google Play Store two weeks after its initial banning,[10] before being banned for a second time overnight.[11]

In June 2015, Disconnect filed an antitrust complaint against Google.[12]

See also

References

  1. Disconnect. "Online Privacy & Security". https://disconnect.me/opensource. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Blocking Consumer Choice: Google's Dangerous Ban of Privacy and Security App". Electronic Frontier Foundation. 2 September 2014. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/08/blocking-consumer-choice-googles-dangerous-ban-privacy-security-app. Retrieved 2014-09-05. 
  3. Disconnect. "Online Privacy & Security". https://disconnect.me/freeprotection. 
  4. "#14490 (Make Disconnect Search the default search engine for Tor Browser alpha) – Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki". https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/14490. 
  5. "Why did my search engine switch to DuckDuckGo? - Tor Project". https://support.torproject.org/tbb/tbb-41/. 
  6. Google Bans Disconnect.me App From Play Store Based On Vague Guidelines
  7. "Google Banishes Disconnect Mobile App For Interfering with Its Lucrative Business : News : Headlines & Global News". hngn.com. http://www.hngn.com/articles/40959/20140901/google-banishes-disconnect-mobile-app-interfering-lucrative-business.htm. Retrieved 2014-09-05. 
  8. "Why Google Banned Connect Mobile - Business Insider". businessinsider.com. http://www.businessinsider.com/why-google-banned-connect-mobile-2014-8. Retrieved 2014-09-05. 
  9. Albergotti, Reed; Barr, Alistair; Dwoskin, Elizabeth (28 August 2014). "Why Some Privacy Apps Get Blocked From the Android Play Store - Digits - WSJ". Wall Street Journal (blogs.wsj.com). https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/08/28/why-some-privacy-apps-get-blocked-from-the-android-play-store/. Retrieved 2014-09-05. 
  10. "Disconnect Mobile Returns To The Play Store Two Weeks After Google Ban". 2014-09-08. http://www.tomshardware.com/news/disconnect-mobile-apps-android-google,27619.html. 
  11. "Disconnect Mobile yanked again from Google Play". 2014-09-09. http://www.cnet.com/news/disconnect-mobile-yanked-again-from-google-play/. 
  12. "Disconnect.Me Files Antitrust Case Against Google In Europe Over Banned Anti-Malware Android App". 2015-06-02. https://techcrunch.com/2015/06/02/disconnect-me-files-antitrust-case-against-google-in-europe-over-banned-anti-malware-android-app/. 

External links