Argentina Sets a Precedent: Orders Google to Remotely Uninstall Pirated Apps Sideloaded on Android Devices

For Android devices equipped with the Google Play Store, Google can indeed remotely issue warnings, disable, or even uninstall malicious applications upon detection.

In a pioneering move, the Argentine government has commanded Google to remotely uninstall a third-party app named Magis TV, as part of its crackdown on pirated movie and TV content infringement.

Magis TV, an IPTV app, offers streaming playback of certain pirated film and television resources and is mainly installed on Android TV boxes. Following complaints from anti-piracy organizations, the Argentine government seized hundreds of TV boxes with Magis TV installed.

To support the anti-infringement operation, an Argentine court ordered local internet service providers to block the domain names and IP addresses associated with Magis TV and commanded Google to immediately remove the app remotely.

The court stated that as the developer of the open-source Android project, Google must adopt the necessary technical measures to immediately uninstall the Magis TV application from the Android system within Argentina.

Notably, this app was not available on Google Play, meaning users installed it via sideloading, implying control should reside entirely with the user, not with Google.

Complying with the court's order would require Google to alter devices without user consent, seemingly violating the principle of ownership. Previously, Google only used the Google Play Protect mechanism to cleanse malicious software.

Moreover, to disable Magis TV, the court would need to provide Google with specific APK names and hash values. However, developers and some users could easily modify package names and hash values to circumvent blocks, and Google cannot use wildcards to search for similar apps.

Lastly, there are clear agreements between Google and OEMs, stating that OEMs can distribute software outside of Google Play. If Google were to execute the order, it might breach these agreements.

Google has not yet responded to this matter, and it is unclear whether Google will comply with the Argentine court's request or appeal and communicate with the court to find a better way to combat piracy.