Iridium: Chrome Extension has been taken down from the web store by the Google team

[ParticleCore]

I have been forced to post this here because it is currently impossible to submit any review due to a Chrome Web Store bug since it always asks for "Create a profile to rate" when it is already created.
This isn't the first time this bug happens and it has already been reported to the Google team since July: https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msg/chromium-extensions/FUjVVOpde4I/muHfAX7mCgAJ

As a result of many users reporting the extension as "Not working" it is now at risk of being removed from the store. I understand that people have little tolerance for bugs and even less waiting for them to be fixed, but I am completely devoid of any time and resources to fix them during this period, I only have my phone with me and I cannot program using a phone nor do I have any computer at my reach.

As some of you already know from my past announcements I don't have the time or health to be worrying about anything that goes beyond fixing the bugs the extension has, as a result of this episode I am considering turning the Chrome extension of Iridium into a paid extension in order to weed out the short tempered users that have a quick trigger when reporting the extension.

If Chrome users want the commodity of having an extension on their browser profile then it will soon become a luxury that will have to be paid for, just like I want to worry less about it being taken down and punished for childish behavior.

I understand that some of the Chrome users will never accept this, which is why there is the Userscript version available and it is free.

I am deeply sorry that it is taking me so long to fix bugs but I have been totally transparent about my limitations since the start of this extension, it is sad to see that it had to come down to this.

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Edit Jan 3rd: The Chrome extension has been taken down by the Chrome Web Store team under the accusation of not working as described. For 3 times since December 31st I was given ultimatums from the CWS stating that the extension was not providing any functionality or working as described and I had 7 days to do something about it. In less than 24h of each of those emails I received another one informing me that the extension was taken down from the web store.

I have been trying to contact the CWS team through multiple channels ever since the first warning, but I have yet to receive a single reply from them. There is nothing else I can do but wait, if they never reply back then that's it for the Chrome Extension version of Iridium.

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Edit Jan 4th: Today I receive another email explaining that the extension is being taken down (it is already down) because the description and screenshots do not show how the extension works. Remember that before they were accusing the extension of simply not working, now it's just the description and screenshots that are not to their liking. They also failed to explain how this can be fixed since there is absolutely no way for me to guess what they find acceptable or not.

As of this moment I will wait until Jan 12th to have this situation resolved. If it is not resolved by then I will no longer provide an extension version for the store.

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Edit Jan 5th: Received again today another email accusing the description and/or screenshots not showing how the extension works. The CWS team is showing no intention of being direct and clear about what needs to be changed and continues sending robot emails without any sign of a human actually writing them. I am afraid that the Chrome extension version is done for.

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Edit Jan 6th: After receiving yet another take down notice email - do take into account that these have always been emails stating that the extension IS being taken down when it was already taken down in the first time - I received a new email requesting me to re-publish the extension in order for it to be reinstated. As to what this means I can only imagine the worse and that is it will be taken down again or with some luck it will be finally accepted in the store again.

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Edit Jan 7th: The extension take down has been lifted. I still do not know why it was taken down in the first place.

[ariefpizzuti]

Some of the most old and broken extension are still up in the chrome web store. Felt like somebody must've been feel insecured about your extension and proceed to use bot and abuse report.

[thepcwiz101]

The internet is full of hate trust me. i doubt google will remove your extension though.

[thepcwiz101]

Also i don't like to recommend other extensions but i have found an extension that is called ImprovedTube which has some unique features that give you even more control. @ParticleCore if you find time at some point to continue development i have a github page that you can get inspiration from. link: https://github.com/ImprovedTube/ImprovedTube Notice this extension is for chrome only.

[TheArcaneBrony]

seems like the extension got removed. going to the store url brings up a 404

[TheArcaneBrony]

nvm somehow i read over the part where you said you were making it paid. I wish I could pay for it, but as i don't have a credit card i cannot. Can sort it out via paypal if you are okay with it

edit: i LOVE using Iridium, but just checked and the chrome store does not accept Paypal.
Please get in touch with me if this can be sorted out between us!
It would be sad to have to let go of such a great extension!

[ParticleCore]

@TheArcaneBrony I explained that for users that do not wish to pay for it they can use the Userscript version which is completely free and will stay always free. The extension being taken down at the moment is not my doing and has been explained in my edit note.

[ParticleCore]

On the other hand, just like when a similar situation happened with the previous extension, I will no longer be tied to the Google's T&C and will be free to develop any features that would not otherwise be accepted in the Chrome Web Store, such as a video download feature.

If the CWS team doesn't do anything about this situation I'll be finally able to add nice features.

[ariefpizzuti]

Not even a thorough investigation, nor a reasonable explanation from them for removing this extension, just straight up removed it. Shame on google.

[TheArcaneBrony]

damn, shame on google.
I would pay for the extension, if i only could!
Also nobody said you cant add nice features only available on non chrome!

[ParticleCore]

@TheArcaneBrony It would be a nightmare to maintain if each version had different features. The goal has always been for all versions to have the exact same features as much as possible.

[karldreher]

Hi, I have had the same experience with my extension: https://github.com/karldreher/netflixplus .

I am adding this comment to document the fact that we are having a common experience, and may follow your suit to open an issue on my repo.
It would be really nice to get more information from Google about why this is happening.

[ParticleCore]

@sowbug Is there any chance of getting this looked at? I'm at my wits end with this already and the lack of clarity from the CWS team to this date (over 5 years with the same kind of behavior) is still appalling.

[LesterCovax]

Sounds like the same type of behavior that occurs within YouTube and their complete lack of communication with affected users. Real shame.

Thanks for your work on the extension though, and I'll switch to using the UserScript.

[thepcwiz101]

@ParticleCore google is known for screwing over people especially on youtube. If someone was to take down google's servers for an extended amount of time that would teach them a lesson for misusing their content creators and extension devs such as yourself. I also believe that google has not tested the extension either like they should and just took it down wrongfully. Oh and making the extension paid will not stop reports and take downs like these from occurring sadly.

[LesterCovax]

@thepcwiz101 Making (albeit unrealistic) threats of DDoS or maleficence doesn't do any good. People just need to become less dependent on their services by moving to different platforms, creating their own, or alternative approaches such as utilizing User Scripts for extensions, or things like Patreon for lost monetary gains.

Of course, that doesn't excuse their lack of due diligence as you mention, or bad actors (whether they be inept end users or malicious third parties such as competing extensions). It wouldn't surprise me if certain other YouTube extensions that are heavily ad/promotion driven were behind this. I personally switched from one of those due to how bloated it became with other products for a cleaner solution like Iridium.

[thepcwiz101]

@LesterCovax
Well yea you are right. Sadly though alot of people like the services google offers like youtube for example and the reason google has became so big is because of it's users really. But i do hope that google becomes more consumer friendly.

[NovaViper]

Man why do people have to go and muck up all of the good things that's provided voluntarily??? Do they not realize that the extension isn't the issue, but it's Google and their urge to keep on changing stuff _without_ telling anyone of said changes?? Sigh As a fellow user of the chrome version of the extension, it would honestly suck if it ended up being paid for, but I do understand why it would be put in place and would whole heartedly respect your decision. I wish the best of luck to you, @ParticleCore.

[TheArcaneBrony]

Yikes, companies and their dang robot emails.
I wish there was a way to contact a real person at google.

[ParticleCore]

It appears that the extension was restored to the Chrome Web Store. I still don't know what was the cause of the take down in the first place but the situation was resolved before jan 12th, hopefully it will stay stable from now on.

Thanks for everyone's time and sorry for the trouble this may have caused.