Zynn App removed by Google PlayStore, being blamed for copying TikTok

Clone of Chinese popular video app removed from PlayStore
Plagiarism accusations on Zynn by Google
TikTok versus Zynn app, both Chinese apps
June 11th, 2020: A clone of the famous TikTok Chinese video app, Zynn, has been removed from the android PlayStore after being alleged for plagiarism.
A report by Wired states that many of TikTok’s regular users have complained that they have noticed their content being posted to Zynn without their permission. Some users have claim that their TikTok accounts have been completely cloned with their profiles displayed on Zynn along with their pictures, name, and month’s old posted content.
Starting from the beginning of May when Zynn arrived on Android and iOS, it quickly made its way to the top. It came among the top 10 downloads on PlayStore, and the most free downloaded app on iOS store. Among the reasons for its growth is its reward scheme that pays the users to recruit friends and watch videos.
One of Zynn’s spokesperson, talking to the financial times said that it used the money to attract users directly instead of paying it to advertisers. “We didn’t want to pay giant corporations like Facebook or Google so we used the exact same amount of money to pay our frontline users instead,” he said.
Talking to FT again, he said that in allegations of plagiarism, the application was removed from PlayStore. The spokesperson agreed that the company did have “some lapses in this area.” The accounts of social media that we claimed to be taken by Zynn have claimed to be in touch with Google and trying to fix the issue.
Google still owes an explanation for the removal of the application. The app is currently working on iOS App Store. The current battle between the two companies includes financial backing and lawsuits from tech giants of China that are concerned about ByteDance’s rapid growth.
Zynn is not alone in being targeted by moderators of Google PlayStore and the Chinese rivals because it also has attracted the US politicians. A Chinese tech critic, Sen. Josh Hawley talked to the federal trade commission to look into this Zynn concern because he believes that such apps “empower Chinese leadership to pry into the private affairs of Americans”.
Additionally, he says that it is not clear whether or not their objectives are in line with the United States’ interests.