Court orders Google to delete sideloaded Android apps

An Argentine court is taking tough action against the illegal streaming service MagisTV. In addition to web blocks and arrests, Google was ordered to delete apps that were already installed. The special thing about it: These are not applications from the Play Store.

Argentina sets standards in the fight against piracy

The fight against illegal streaming services is escalating in Argentina. A court in San Isidro, a suburb of Buenos Aires, has ordered far-reaching measures against the provider MagisTV. In addition to blocking 69 domains, Google is to remove the MagisTV app from all Android devices in Argentina – even if users have installed it manually via sideloading.

However, there is no other way to get it on your smartphone, as MagisTV is not available via the Play Store. Prosecutor Alejandro Musso called the order “unprecedented.” It took place as part of “Operation 404,” which originated in Brazil. MagisTV is considered one of the largest providers of illegal streams in Latin America.

According to Musso, the service offers “absolutely all paid content from all platforms” illegally. The authorities are taking tough action against the app and those behind it. Three people were arrested in Argentina, and the police also confiscated hundreds of TV boxes with the MagisTV app pre-installed during raids.

Google’s delicate task

The order given to Google is particularly explosive. The group should “immediately uninstall” the MagisTV app (file name: magis_mobile_v6.5.2.apk) from all Android devices with an Argentinean IP address. This also applies to apps that users have installed themselves. Prosecutor Musso explained:

What has been achieved is an unprecedented court order that is being considered by Google – we assume that they cannot refuse it – namely to uninstall the application via the Android operating system update on all devices with an IP address in Argentina. Alejandro Musso, prosecutor

This measure is not entirely new. The Spanish soccer league LaLiga has long been calling for the remote deletion of piracy apps.

Far-reaching consequences

The case could have a signal effect. Prosecutor Musso believes that many countries will follow Argentina’s example. The order represents a delicate situation for Google. The company has to weigh up between protecting intellectual property or a court order and protecting the privacy of its users – the company has not yet made a statement on this.

The investigation follows a complaint from the anti-piracy alliance Alianza. This represents companies such as Direct TV, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery. MagisTV is said to have been active for over ten years and has generated 55 million views. As the Buenos Aires Times reported (via TorrentFreak), in Argentina, an Android-based set-top box with MagisTV service pre-installed cost about $50.