WhatsApp sends legal letters to independent developers – Tech News

The use by WhatsApp of Letters Cess and Desist against Android apps found to be non-compliant with its service drew online flak, after app developers reported their grievances about the measure agressive.

Developers behind the notification manager application DirectChat and Can not Talk that generates automatic response messages on messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, independently posted that WhatsApp sent them Cease and the letters of withdrawal demanding that they remove the faulty functionality of their application or in the face of litigation.

However, developers claim that their applications work using standard Android APIs – Notification Listener and Direct Reply – without using the WhatsApp APIs. The developers, who pointed out these letters, noted that the letter did not specify which parts of the applications violated the terms of the WhatsApp API, while requests for removal of WhatsApp-related applications were deemed "doubtful at best". and malicious at worst ". 19659003] The site also claims to have confirmed the authenticity of the original letter, and was awaiting a response from the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook.

In a post on Reddit, the developer of DirectChat explains that his application uses the Google Notification Listener API and does not interact with any third party or does not take his data through illegal methods; It simply retrieves the notifications and displays them as bubbles.

"This email does not only hurt my app, but all other available notification management apps may be banned if WhatsApp persists in its wrong approach." 39 be creative and enhance the user experience if big giants like them continue to torment them, "says the developer, who adds that they are still studying and have no budget to hire a lawyer. ] Rob J, the developer of Can not Talk posted on Medium that a "rather big company (think Google big)" asked him to remove apps from the Play Store.

He withdrew the application for fear of legal repercussions.

"This is not so much the attraction of the application that bothered me as much than the principle. The problem with something like that for an independent developer like me is just that, I am an independent developer. I do not have a lawyer on the fees. I do not have the legal knowledge to know if it's a meritorious request, "he says.

The articles drew hundreds of comments on the validity of such legal measures, many respondents accusing WhatsApp of being a bit harsh and intimidating small promoters for questionable legal grounds.