A Sick Game: 'Bomb Gaza' Game on Google Play Removed After Complaints

Bomb Gaza – a game on Google Play was removed after complaints.

By Amira Al Hussaini
An Android game which allows gamers to carry out airstrikes on Gaza has drawn criticism and anger today. The game, which has since been withdrawn from Google Play, is called Bomb Gaza, and was released on July 29.

Online, users have described it as “disgusting,” “shameful” and simply “sick” – especially in the light of the horror stories coming out of Gaza as Israel continues its Protective Edge land invasion, now in its 30th day, which has so far left 1,865 Palestinians dead and more than 9,500 injured (Source: Palestine Health Ministry spokesman Dr Ashraf Alqedra's Facebook page).

All day, netizens pushed for removing the offensive game.

Occupied Palestine urges his 29.9K followers to flag the game:

Another sick game available for download on @GooglePlay . Flag and demand Google takes it down! pic.twitter.com/BRN6LMNKLO | #GenocideInGaza
— occupiedpalestine (@occpal) August 4, 2014

Aysha asks them to report it:

Can everyone who has an android phone please report this! #Gaza #GazaUnderAttack #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/EeT3PtgApY
— #FreePalestine (@ayshaaaaaaa_) August 4, 2014

And journalist Rania Khalek tells her 45.8K followers:

Games for download at Google App Store: Bomb Gaza, Whack the Hamas & Gaza Assault: Code Red http://t.co/yeztAMn85P Bc genocide is a game!
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) August 4, 2014

The game has since been removed.

Palestinian Omar Ghraieb, from Gaza, asks his readers to remain vigilant for other such games online:

#bombGaza removed. Peeps plz keep on the look out 4 similar games on .@android, @AppStore, Nokia world & Microsoft store 2 get them removed.
— Omar Ghraieb (@Omar_Gaza) August 4, 2014

Since Israel launched a massive offensive against the 40-kilometer long coastal strip on July 8, more than 6,780 have been injured. Israel has bombed schools, a playground, hospitals, shelters and refugee camps. Three in four people killed in Gaza were civilians. On July 28, Israel attacked the only power plant in Gaza, plunging the congested strip of 1.8 million people into darkness. As Israel forces bombs residential neighborhoods, tens of thousands have been made homeless and are forced to take refuge in makeshift shelters.

This is Israel's third military operation in Gaza in six years. Excessive restrictions from Israel in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank is why most of the world and the United Nations considers this territory “occupied” by Israel.

Reprinted with permission from Global Voices.

Stealing From A Baby: Apple Stole Millions From Parents by Letting Their Kids Make Purchases Through 'Free' Game Apps

Photo by Nisha A.

Apple misleading children on 'free' apps, says European Commission. EC warns Apple could face legal action if it continues to delay changes to its app policies.

By Andrew Trotman
Apple could face legal action after failing to tackle the problem of children racking up huge bills by making in-app purchases, the European Commission (EC) has said.

In its latest findings into how internet giants charge for programs downloaded onto tablets and mobile phones, the commission declared that Apple has not committed to changing its policies.

The EC's main concern is that games are often labelled as "free to download" but are not "free to play", with purchases automatically debited from a registered credit card. More than half of online games in the EU are advertised as "free", the Commission says, despite many carrying hidden costs.

RELATED STORY: Google Agrees to Stop Calling Games with In-App Purcahses "Free" in the Play Store

In one case, an eight-year-old British girl managed to run up a bill of £4,000 making "in-app" purchases from games such as My Horse and Smurfs' Village. In that instance, Apple reimbursed the girl's father.

The commission has pushed for Apple to comply on four key points:

1) Games advertised as "free" should not mislead consumers about the true costs involved;

2) Games should not contain direct exhortation to children to buy items in a game or to persuade an adult to buy items for them;

3) Consumers should be adequately informed about the payment arrangements for purchases and should not be debited through default settings without consumers’ explicit consent;

4) Traders should provide an email address so that consumers can contact them in case of queries or complaints.

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