This app is set to stop people from installing apks or using stores and apps not accepted by google ("verification" requires payment of course). The play store listing does not have images, a proper description, and the app cannot be opened.
Screenshots from the play app because google did something custom for this playstore listing which crashes Aurora. It's fixed in the latest fdroid release, but I noticed that too late, so most screenshots are from googles shitty app.
Probably these aren't Google's bot, but just regular bots which need "reputation" to not be marked as such. So they leave reviews on Google and other big apps just to have an history of activity.
Just realized i had this bullshit installed even though i disabled playstore updates and my phone has no updates anymore...this is fucking bullshit, also, they seem to have hidden all review as of now
Fucking Gooslop
I don't like the direction Google is taking Android. I'm not in favor of this enforced developer registration.
"Seems to" is not the same as "did." With a couple of LLMs and a bit of time others could've dropped these rave reviews as well. It isn't far fetched that it is Google. But from a PR point of view they'd be stupid if it was them. They gain nothing but bad headlines from a stunt like that. So we probably need a bit more proof than some screenshots.
I still think this AI revolution is being shoved down our throats instead of being an organic revolution revolution. The funny thing is I did and do use AI features. I just refuse to download or activate any new bs ai permissions. Because I refuse to do that I have lost functionality in my android Device. Now I can't tell my phone to schedule something on the calendar. That feature used to be native with the phone now it's locked behind the AI app. I still use image search a lot, I bet that will be gone soon.
Anyway, this is Google trying to use their idiotic AI to manipulate us again. Just like taking away features to download the AI app, it's all about control now, not utility, not customer service.
I guess Google could just target specific types of users to review, rather than everyone. I'm sure there's people out there who would love to give a shitty business a great review.
Is there a way I can block updates on a newish Samsung phone? Or any phone for the matter? I don't want Google to "verify" all my apk installs. There needs to be a workaround for when we get the big update in September that screws over our third party apks
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