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| Google pulls more Gaza-Israel games from Android store | Google pulls more Gaza-Israel games from Android store |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Google has expanded its list of banned Android video games linked to the Gaza-Israel conflict. | Google has expanded its list of banned Android video games linked to the Gaza-Israel conflict. |
| The US-based firm has now removed Rocket Pride by Best Arabic Games, in which players attempt to outmanoeuvre Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system, from its Google Play app store. | The US-based firm has now removed Rocket Pride by Best Arabic Games, in which players attempt to outmanoeuvre Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system, from its Google Play app store. |
| It also deleted Iron Dome by Gamytech, which challenged players to "intercept the rockets launched by Hamas". | It also deleted Iron Dome by Gamytech, which challenged players to "intercept the rockets launched by Hamas". |
| Other titles that do not name the "enemy" remain online. | Other titles that do not name the "enemy" remain online. |
| Advocacy groups have criticised the emergence of the genre. | Advocacy groups have criticised the emergence of the genre. |
| "It is both deplorable and dangerous to glorify Israelis killing Arabs or Arabs killing Israelis," Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, told the BBC. | "It is both deplorable and dangerous to glorify Israelis killing Arabs or Arabs killing Israelis," Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, told the BBC. |
| Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, added: "Games that glorify violence or normalise conflict when referring to an actual conflict that is happening as we speak are deeply problematic and deeply distasteful. | Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, added: "Games that glorify violence or normalise conflict when referring to an actual conflict that is happening as we speak are deeply problematic and deeply distasteful. |
| "Google, Facebook or any other company that hosts such games, should be reviewing their policies and making absolutely all efforts to ensure that such games are not hosted on their platforms." | "Google, Facebook or any other company that hosts such games, should be reviewing their policies and making absolutely all efforts to ensure that such games are not hosted on their platforms." |
| Amnesty International UK has also declared that such titles are "in highly questionable taste". | Amnesty International UK has also declared that such titles are "in highly questionable taste". |
| Drone bombs | Drone bombs |
| The Daily Dot was one of the first news sites to bring attention to the phenomenon, on Monday, when it named several Android games relating to the conflict. | The Daily Dot was one of the first news sites to bring attention to the phenomenon, on Monday, when it named several Android games relating to the conflict. |
| Google later blocked three titles as part of its initial response to user complaints: | Google later blocked three titles as part of its initial response to user complaints: |
| A playable Bomb Gaza app was also subsequently removed from Facebook. However, a spokesman for the social network was unable to confirm who had taken the action. | A playable Bomb Gaza app was also subsequently removed from Facebook. However, a spokesman for the social network was unable to confirm who had taken the action. |
| The site, however, still has a page promoting the game, which describes it as "very addictive and fun" to play. | The site, however, still has a page promoting the game, which describes it as "very addictive and fun" to play. |
| Iron Dome games | Iron Dome games |
| Google Play and Apple's iOS store continue to host another title: Iron Dome - Missile Defense, by Simon Rosenzweig. | Google Play and Apple's iOS store continue to host another title: Iron Dome - Missile Defense, by Simon Rosenzweig. |
| It tasks the player with "the responsibility to defend your city against endless enemy's missiles and rockets", but does not specify who the opponent represents. | It tasks the player with "the responsibility to defend your city against endless enemy's missiles and rockets", but does not specify who the opponent represents. |
| The title - whose description states it ranked in Israel's top 10 arcade game downloads on Google Play - was released on 21 July. | The title - whose description states it ranked in Israel's top 10 arcade game downloads on Google Play - was released on 21 July. |
| The Android store also offers other recently uploaded Iron Dome-themed titles in which the adversaries are described as "terrorists". | The Android store also offers other recently uploaded Iron Dome-themed titles in which the adversaries are described as "terrorists". |
| It also contains Gaza Hero - a game in which the player taps Israeli army characters to turn them into food and medicine, which states "curse Israel" on its introduction screen - as well as Gaza Defender, which involves firing at aircraft above. | |
| A spokeswoman for Google would not discuss specific apps, but said: "We remove apps from Google Play that violate our policies." | A spokeswoman for Google would not discuss specific apps, but said: "We remove apps from Google Play that violate our policies." |
| The firm's developer's terms and conditions ban apps that advocate "against groups of people based on their race or ethnic origin", and/or are judged to threaten other users. | The firm's developer's terms and conditions ban apps that advocate "against groups of people based on their race or ethnic origin", and/or are judged to threaten other users. |
| Device owners wishing to alert Google to an app they believe breaks its rules can do so by tapping a "flag as inappropriate" link. | Device owners wishing to alert Google to an app they believe breaks its rules can do so by tapping a "flag as inappropriate" link. |