Co-Star, the AI astrology app known for its a-little-too-real push notifications, has accused Google of “anti-astrology prejudice” after its removal from the Play Store.
The app was available for Android users for just two weeks before reportedly being removed from the Play Store last night (February 5), because of a supposed metadata violation. A few hours later, the app’s official Instagram posted on its story, in its classic monochrome font: “Don’t Be Evil: Google hates astrology.”
“At 8pm EST on February 5, 2020, the Co-Star app for Android devices was unceremoniously removed from the Google Play store citing a metadata policy violation. We’ve worked hard to make a useful language for understanding ourselves and others, despite counter claims that it is a pseudo-science.”
“We are a small company of 12 people. We launched our Android app just two weeks ago. We don't make money off of ads. We don't sell your data. All we ever wanted was to bring you the app you've been asking for, yet we are forced to justify ourselves and our mission to big exploitative companies like Google again and again. This is unacceptable. We won’t tolerate anti-astrology prejudice.”
The post ends with a demand that Google reinstate the app or prepare to be faced with a staff-led protest outside the Google HQ.
Read our interview with the Scorpio co-founder of Co-Star, Banu Guler, here.