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Starting September 1, Google is no longer allowing “sugar dating” apps on the Play Store. The company recently announced its new policy change (amongst others), citing that it would start prohibiting apps that feature and promote “compensated sexual relationships.” In other words, Google wants no part of the sugar daddy app craze.
For those out of the loop, sugar dating relationships are characterized by wealthier, older individuals wooing their younger counterparts with gifts. Of course, sometimes these gifts are exchanged for sex, but that isn’t always the case.
There is already a policy in the Google Play Store that prohibits “services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation.”
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However, the updated definition explicitly includes “compensated dating or sexual arrangements where one participant is expected or implied to provide money, gifts or financial support to another participant (‘sugar dating’).”
As it turns out, there’s a ton of these apps on the Play Store. Moreover, as Android Police notes, many of them have well over one million downloads with stellar review ratings. So it’s clear a lot of people are using these apps.
If you’re an Android user who’s active in the “sugar” space and looking for a new outlet to download or engage with these apps, the Google Play Store no longer welcomes you.
Of course, you could always side-load the apps or go old school and use the app’s website. If all else fails, there’s always Apple’s App Store – for now.
Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
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