Microsoft Removes Catalan Protest Movement App From GitHub

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Microsoft has pulled the app of a Catalan protest movement in Spain from GitHub at the request of the Spanish government. The removal would have relatively little impact, as people from that movement are now spreading the app via chat app Telegram.

The Tsunami Democràtic app aims to organize smaller, local protests with people who want Catalonia to become an independent state, Techcrunch writes. People can share their availability and location in the app and must promise not to use violence.

Microsoft has published the request of the Spanish Guardia Civil. In it, the Spanish police say that the Spanish Supreme Court is investigating whether Tsunami Democràtic is an organization that encourages people to undertake terrorist activities. Despite the fact that the Supreme Court is still considering this, Microsoft has complied with the request. In a general text on government requests, Microsoft says it always responds to government requests to prevent GitHub from becoming unavailable in that area. It is only about a blockade in Spain; in other countries the app is available.

Movement members tell Techcrunch that removing the app from GitHub has had relatively little impact, as protesters can install the app via Telegram. The protesters are using Telegram groups to coordinate protests, they say. You can, because it is an Android app that users can sideload on their device.

The case is somewhat reminiscent of that of HKMap.live, an app that shows residents of Hong Kong where police meet and where riots are. This involved an iOS app, which Apple first rejected, later approved and then removed from the App Store at the request of the Hong Kong authorities. That has had more impact on the distribution of that app, because Apple has a monopoly on the distribution of iOS apps through the App Store.

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