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I have developed an application for Android that displays video from my channel on YouTube using YouTube API.

I show the video directly through YouTubePlayerView class. I don't use authorization of users on YouTube, just show video in player from my channel.

I also use video ad in the same Activity. I show video ad before YouTube video. But I'm not sure that this is so important.

Also I have another activity that show list of videos from my channel. For list item I use title of video and thumbnail. I take title and thumbnail from YouTube site using:

http://img.youtube.com/vi/" + url + "/default.jpg

and

http://www.youtube.com/oembed?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=" + id + "&format=json

Everything works fine. But when I downloaded the app on Google Play, my application was removed. Here is what they wrote:

"After a regular review, we have determined that your app downloads, monetizes, or otherwise accesses YouTube videos in violation of the YouTube Terms of Service or YouTube API Terms of Service. Accessing content, a product, or service in an unauthorized manner is a violation of the Developer Distribution Agreement, and is not allowed on Google Play"

What should I do, that they accepted my application?

Jack Jonson
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    Conform with the YouTube Terms of Service and YouTube API Terms. You're doing unauthorized things in your application regarding YouTube services. – shkschneider Apr 28 '15 at 09:42
  • I answered a similar question here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/51091715/9684719 Hope it helps. – Sebastian Paduano Jul 03 '18 at 10:24
  • Hey, i have one basic question. In YouTubePlayerViewer control can i play any video by referencing the URL? Inorder for app to use YouTube, do we necessarily use YouTube API? Can i monetize my app without using YouTube API? – Uday Jul 10 '18 at 02:05
  • What you are doing sound perfectly rational and we had our app just pulled! for the same "reason". But it should not be surprising because Google is the antithesis of reason, logic and decency. – RunLoop Jun 01 '19 at 04:41

1 Answers1

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Your Video Ads are causing problems with the Terms of Service of the Youtube API.

the sale of advertising, sponsorships, or promotions placed on or within the YouTube audiovisual content or player; or

the sale of advertising, sponsorships, or promotions on any page of the API Client containing YouTube audiovisual content, unless other content not obtained from YouTube appears on the same page and is of sufficient value to be the basis for such sales.

The reason for this, is it appears to Google, that you are attempting to get Ads revenue from the Youtube Service. If you do not have any content of your own (worthy of Ads) then your App will be taken down.

Community
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Knossos
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  • And if I move this ad to another Activity, it does not contradict the rules of use? – Jack Jonson Apr 28 '15 at 09:49
  • They will probably just see that as trying to get around the rules and ban you for that as well. – Knossos Apr 28 '15 at 09:52
  • In other words to use advertising in an application that uses the YouTube API, it is to be 100% banned? – Jack Jonson Apr 28 '15 at 09:54
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    Unless you have other content on that page that the Ad can relate to. If you have your own content that could require Ad revenue, then that is within the second part of the rule "unless other content not obtained from YouTube appears on the same page and is of sufficient value to be the basis for such sales" – Knossos Apr 28 '15 at 09:56