AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

Apps need to exit the Play Store. I have a whole slew of apps which haven't been updated for a while now because Aurora Store isn't working because of whatever Google of doing. Meanwhile the ones installed via FDroid and other means are perfectly up to date. It's a crappy state of affairs as Google continues to close the boiling Android frog.

> Play billing "must not be used in cases where payments include … tax exempt donations"

> Note: 501(c)(6) is a tax-exempt status; donations are not tax-deductible for the donor. Google's communications explicitly state "tax-exempt".

Isn't it pretty obvious that the problem is the donations aren't tax-exempt, despite the organization being tax-exempt? Your note suggests you already understand this.

Logically, the payment processor (who deals with sales taxes rather than income taxes) should worry about the taxability of the transaction rather than the tax status of the recipient, right?

> Specifically, your app allows users to contribute donations to an organization that is not tax-exempt.

So whoever is writing their email is mixing these two up, but you're reading the policy itself and it is fairly clear-cut what it means for you, right?

Not Google's first rodeo. They pulled the same move in 2019: https://www.phoronix.com/news/WireGuard-Ejected-Play-Store

This is why software should not be subjected to an "app store" type distribution system, where a monopolist retains absolute control of what software can run on your devices, and can capriciously deny distribution to developers for whatever reason it likes.

>clarification on whether an IRS 501(c)(6) determination satisfies "tax exempt donations".

These donations aren't tax exempt. 501(c)(3) are tax exempt. If users are paying via Google pay these payments must be tax exempt to the *user*.

> Donations are not tax-deductible

> Because we are a 501(c)(6), OSC is not a registered 501(c)(3) charity; donations to hosted member projects are not tax-deductible. This is consistent with IRS guidelines — open source donations aren't automatically classified as charitable simply because they are FOSS.

> If your project has a clear charitable purpose, a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor may be a good fit.

- https://docs.oscollective.org/welcome-and-introduction-to-os...

AnkiDroid has been such a great boon for me, thank you for sharing the link and reminding that they would benefit from my donation.

If only PWA were not made invisible by Apple. The install button has been moved voluntarily to the share menu.

The UE should make it mandatory to permit PWA install popups on all platforms.

Such problems wouldn't arise, because this app could be installable as a cached Web app. A native mobile application could be installed only for specific functionalities.

I hope they can solve this is one of my favorite apps on android.

I suppose there might be a way to sign up for the alternative billing scheme:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ...

but make sure to "pay the relevant Play service fee, starting October 1, 2026."

Very cool, Google.

Every day Google commits to more Evil. How much more Evil can this world take from Google?

Also - all those monopoly-stores need to be broken up. It can not be that these mega-corporations continue to be protected by a selfish US government wanting to install monopolies globally.

It sounds like Epic Games v Google must be heard again? Does that precedent apply to this, or did they settle?

Epic Games v. Google: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Games_v._Google

GitHub Sponsors is another way to raise for an open source organization.

Shit like this is yet another reason why we don't have apps in the app store. In app purchases are a non-starter for us.

As I understand it, there are ways to work around accepting payments or donations outside of the app stores.

It adds one more thing to have to do and explain to users. And even with that piece taken care of, we would need to be constantly vigilant about changes in Apple or Google policies that might eject our app from the storefront.

“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.”

― Benito Mussolini

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>We are forced to remove donation links immediately from our Play Store build in 2.24.X, and are doing so under protest

So you are still complying.