[APP][5.0+] FairEmail - Fully featured, open source, privacy oriented email app

[M66B]

Maybe it is a dumb question. But did Google properly understand that you don't think you violate their Code? Maybe you should sprinkle an "allegedly" into your 3 points. Sure it would make no sense to ask Google where, when and what is sent if "you coded the malicious feature". But the people responding are probably not the best paid people. And I think they have to answer to a lot of dumb and malicious people.

We have a saying in Dutch which translates like "Who demands who proves". In other words, if you accuse someone, you need to present proof. Why should I prove I am innocent? That's the world upside down.

 

[chris122380]

We have a saying in Dutch which translates like "Who demands who proves". In other words, if you accuse someone, you need to present proof. Why should I prove I am innocent? That's the world upside down.

Google is also an American company where we have the saying "innocent until proven guilty". So Google needs to start doing some proving.

 

[M66B]

Hallo,

ich bin auch ein (bisher) sehr zufriedener Nutzer von FairEmail. Nachdem ich FairEmail plötzlich nicht mehr im Google Playstore gefunden habe, bin ich auf den Golem Nachrichtenartikel und das Forum hier gestoßen.

Nur mal eine Laienhafte Einschätzung von mir (ich kann natürlich auch komplett falsch liegen!):

Mir kommt es irgendwie so vor, als würden Google und M66B "aneinander vorbeireden". Google bemängelt - so wie ich das verstehe - lediglich, dass eine Datenschutzerklärung fehlt bzw. diese nicht alle relevanten Informationen enthält. Diese ist wohl notwendig, sobald die App irgendwelche Daten verschickt (was jede Email App ja macht). Von irgendwelchen Favicons, Third Party Services oder über an ein Konto / Email gebundene freizuschaltenden Pro-Versionen ganz zu schweigen.



Und zumindest ich finde die Datenschutzerklärung von FairEmail wirklich etwas "kurz geraten":

FairEmail/PRIVACY.md at master · M66B/FairEmail

Fully featured, open source, privacy friendly email app for Android - FairEmail/PRIVACY.md at master · M66B/FairEmail

github.com

Zum Vergleich mal die sehr ausführliche Datenschutzerklärung von Aqua Mail

https://www.aqua-mail.com/privacy-policy/

Vielleicht kann man die beiden Datenschutzerklärungen mal vergleichen (u.a. Bereich Payment und Third Party Services) und sieht so, was bei FairEmail noch nötig ist, um Google zufriedenzustellen.

Falls es daran liegt...

Most privacy policies violate the GDPR which requires a privacy policy to be as simple possible to understand. Instead you find "definitions" and other hard to read legal language. This is explicitly not allowed because Joe and Jane (no offence meant in any way) should also be able to understand what happens. The privacy policy of FairEmail doesn't contain legal language and is just to the point. I wish that all privacy policies were like this!

 

[M66B]

@mkasimd maybe you can say something about the privacy policy?

 

[truephoenix]

Perhaps that can help with the privacy policy:

Mobile App Privacy Policy Template

Need a privacy policy for your mobile app? Check out our guide to learn what they are, whether you need one, and the requirements for different platforms.

termly.io

From that website

By April 22, 2022, every single application published by the Google Play Store will be required to have a privacy policy and declare how it collects, protects, and handles private user data....
More: https://termly.io/resources/templates/app-privacy-policy/#privacy-policies-for-ios-and-android-apps

 

[ccMatrix]

A long time ago I had a similar issue with Google play and just gave up. Since it was a hobby project the time and effort were not worth it.

Google has automated processes that flag the apps. Giving out the info about what line or code triggered their flag would basically help people with bad intentions to navigate around those. So they have their policy of not giving out any helpful information at all. So the same policy that should block real malware and spam apps is blocking honest developers who have no way than pure luck (like you did with changing random code) to bypass their algorithm.

I wish they would handle popular apps and developers with good standing differently and they really should. But I wonder how the community can force Google to change. They really should become more developer friendly.

Hope your talk next week can be more fruitful and maybe after some hiatus you can find it in you to continue the app. It is an amazing mail client and there are so few decent ones on Android especially with such a feature set. Try to remember what made you develop the app in the first place. Taking a break from development and Google Play hastle is absolutely understandable.

I wish you all the best!

 

[inreverse]

I registered this account only to post in this thread.

I recognized the value of FairEmail a couple of years ago and I wanted to donate to show some appreciation.

I always donate to useful FOSS projects. However, it was never "possible" for me to donate to FairEmail. Maybe it was Google who put these rules in place, but my only option to donate to FairEmail would be to give Google my credit card. I would have accepted random credit card processor or even PayPal. I don't have bitcoin. Giving the credit card info to Google just felt wrong.

Those who appreciated FairEmail the most were probably the same people who avoided Google the most. Expect zero loyalty from Play Store users. In Play Store you are just an "app making machine".

 

[ruq]

There are a couple of features I wish this app had:

- Per email account notification sounds (I came from Spark Mail)
- To not have the send button right above the keyboard. I bumped it once. RIP.

Nice to haves:
- A cleaner look (not more minimal, just a reskin I guess).

 

[heisert]

Hmm you want new features from the dev who said he didnt want to work again on the app again???

Sometimes its a good idea to read 2-5 posts before reply...

@M66B i hope you will come back. Its still the best Android Email Client in the World!
There must be something really wrong in the Google Code console. Why are there still bad Email clients with lower privacy in the Play Store?!

 

[mkasimd]

@mkasimd maybe you can say something about the privacy policy?

I've never dealt with apps, but the basics should be the same as how we do things within my party. I'll get back to you in a few hours later tonight. ATM, I'm a little in a rush due to a close relative's wedding tomorrow.

 

[ruq]

Hmm you want new features from the dev who said he didnt want to work again on the app again???

Sometimes its a good idea to read 2-5 posts before reply...

@M66B i hope you will come back. Its still the best Android Email Client in the World!
There must be something really wrong in the Google Code console. Why are there still bad Email clients with lower privacy in the Play Store?!

whoops. I was just passively voicing my thoughts. sad to hear the app won't be worked on again (at least for the moment). sorry about that.

 

[heisert]

whoops. I was just passively voicing my thoughts. sad to hear the app won't be worked on again (at least for the moment). sorry about that.

Didn't mean that harshly.
Np m8

 

[testeurdeouf]

Thanks for your Works @M66B Fairemail is the best email client i ever try, so... Big Thanks
Take care of the one with you, she is probably a big part of all your work, and i believe need more attention than google policies !!!

 

[testeurdeouf]

Hmm you want new features from the dev who said he didnt want to work again on the app again???

Sometimes its a good idea to read 2-5 posts before reply...

@M66B i hope you will come back. Its still the best Android Email Client in the World!
There must be something really wrong in the Google Code console. Why are there still bad Email clients with lower privacy in the Play Store?!

Too much download ? i also think that's is the best of the store, so.... jalousy

 

[M66B]

There are a couple of features I wish this app had:

- Per email account notification sounds (I came from Spark Mail)
- To not have the send button right above the keyboard. I bumped it once. RIP.

Nice to haves:
- A cleaner look (not more minimal, just a reskin I guess).

Per account notification, please see this FAQ:

https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail/blob/master/FAQ.md#user-content-faq145

Send button: accidents can happen wherever it is, that's why there is a confirmation needed by default. It seems you disabled the confirmation. Maybe you want to enable it again?

Cleaner look: the appearance is one of the most discussed things. If you ask 10 people about how things should look like, you'll get 20 opinions.

 

[mkasimd]

I've never dealt with apps, but the basics should be the same as how we do things within my party. I'll get back to you in a few hours later tonight. ATM, I'm a little in a rush due to a close relative's wedding tomorrow.

@M66B, I just sent you an email with some comments and suggestions. If you cant find it due to too many mails in your inbox: search for a disroot FROM address or alternatively for "Privacy Policy" or my XDA handle in the subject field

You can reply by email if necessary, I'll probably notice it quicker than here anyways.

 

[sssubito]

Hm, Google is not giving details to devs to try to prevent "malicious" actors to dodge bullets when their apps got flagged? First, guys'n'gals, tune down your sarcasm/irony detectors... OK, done?
Now that is a well proven industry's pinacle policy, isn't it: yay, security by obscurity! Proven to work... always!
@google, seriously!?
But unfortunately they seem to believe in it just because it makes their efforts way easier and cheaper. Not helping, though.

@M66B
You're a nice guy if you still believe in some good within people who behave badly. Actually there's likely some good in everybody. But to be frank, if someone trolls you, just try to ignore it. It's a well proven strategy: don't feed the trolls. It's not your duty to try to find any good in those, you shouldn't waste your time, energy and mood to babysit any troll/jerk/misbehaving individual. It just doesn't do you well.

Who am I to give you any unasked advise. No pun intended! I have read the pages from maybe the beginning of this week when things started to go south (health of your girlfriend (best wishes for her recovery!); issues with Google; you being triggered by "unfair" 1* nonsense from people in Google Play Store reviews; you fed up with all of this; ...). Maybe take a brake, you seem to need it. Clear your mind of frustration by Google "dev support" and review trolls. They don't deserve this much dark power over you.

As I said before, I like FairEmail Pro and will continue to use it for what it is. Many low or lowest star ratings are barely worth your comment, they expose the writer mostly as some troll or, well, not the brightest candle on the cake (pun intended!). Try to stop getting triggered by those, try to ignore them, they don't do you good and demotivate you apparently. I don't give a sh** on such reviews when I scan ratings of an app because there're always some percentage of such ill-fated ones.

If Play Store issues can't get resolved, too bad but so be it. I am willing to look into Github or F-Droid for FairEmail, because your app is plain too good to not go for it.

Take my ramblings with a grain of salt and maybe some humor. In German there's a saying "Die schlimmsten Schläge sind Ratschläge" which doesn't carry over well when translated to English "The worst blows/punches are advice". Oh boy, what have I done...

 

[EtherealRemnant]

I am very sad to hear this news. I have used Android off and on since 2009 and I have only ever bought a handful of apps because most of them just aren't worth paying for. When I switched to this OnePlus 9 in February or March and my Gmail notifications weren't coming in, I switched to FairEmail after doing some searches online and trying a few other apps, and I liked it so much that I bought the pro version within days. I have read back some pages and I understand the reasoning so I just wanted to say thank you for the great app no matter what you decide and I hope your girlfriend recovers soon.

 

[Itcouldbeyou]

We have a saying in Dutch which translates like "Who demands who proves". In other words, if you accuse someone, you need to present proof. Why should I prove I am innocent? That's the world upside down.

I am not saying you have to prove anything. Google has to prove it, I agree. I simply said write "where it allegedly sends contact info". I'd deny their claims in every statement.

 

[M66B]

@mkasimd thank your very much for helping with the privacy policy!

FairEmail/PRIVACY.md at master · M66B/FairEmail

Fully featured, open source, privacy friendly email app for Android - FairEmail/PRIVACY.md at master · M66B/FairEmail

github.com