MobiKwik gets penalised by Google for Aarogya Setu app link

Popular digital wallet app MobiKwik on Thursday (May 28) was temporarily removed from the Google Play store in India.

Apparently, Google, earlier in the month had warned MobiKwik to remove the Indian government's COVID-19 contact tracing app Aarogya Setu link. But, after the brief interaction with company CEO Bipin Preet Singh's team, it was said to be resolved.

Google was told that MobiKwik and other digital payment apps in India were asked by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to show Aarogya Setu app link on their respective applications to spread the word to their customers to install so that they get timely update on COVID-19 and also get alerts if they ever came close to an infected person.

However, on Thursday, without any warning, Google removed the MobiKwik from the Play store. Bipin Preet Singh alerted the issue on Twitter and tagged the search engine giant, Competition Commission of India, Amitabh Kant (CEO of Niti Ayog), PMO (Prime Minister of India) office and Ravi Shankar Prasad (Minister of Law & Justice, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology).

“We received a warning from Google Play Store on May 20 that our link to Aarogya Setu App is a deceptive ad. We submitted to them that this is in public interest and also the RBI has requested us to promote this app. But today, at 3 pm they removed the app and sent us the update saying this link to Aarogya Setu App is a violation without explaining why,” Singh told DH.

It can be noted that even other apps such as PayTM, food delivery apps like Swiggy have ads about Aarogya Setu.

Must read | Apple, Google release COVID-19 exposure notification API

Now, MobiKwik app has been restored on Google Play store, after the former removed the Aarogya Setu app link.

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