Google and Apple have both removed “OG,” an app that used to offer users an ad-free Instagram experienced, saying that the app violated the terms of both stores.
OG, which had attracted some 25,000 users around the world, was created “to fix social media,” according to the platform’s creators.
Our fundamental belief revolves around giving power back to the user. We believe in users’ right to choose what they consume, when they consume it, and how they do so. We believe that users should have ownership of their data and the social capital they accumulate online.
— The OG App 🔗 (@TheOGapp_) October 7, 2022
However, Apple and Google saw things differently and removed the app from their respective app stores within days of each other.
The app debuted last month, having reverse-engineered the Instagram for Android API. This allowed OG to offer the ad-free experience but, in doing so, potentially risked users’ privacy and security.
Instagram owner Meta told TechCrunch that the app violated its policies and that the company is “taking all appropriate enforcement actions.” However, it didn’t provide any details about the steps it took.
Apple said that OG was accessing Instagram’s service in an unauthorised manner and that it had breached the App Store rules which prohibit apps from displaying content from third-party apps by violating their terms of use.
Google has not publicly commented on the OG App.
However, the OG App founders say they are still thinking about the next steps and will provide clarity in the coming weeks.
