Kuaishou's short-form video app Zynn, which is a TikTok clone launched in the global market, has been removed from the Play Store by Google, though Google has yet to announce the exact reason for the removal.
As Wired reported earlier this week, some prominent TikTok users say their content was uploaded to Zynn without their consent.
Some claimed that their accounts were completely cloned and profiles appeared on Zynn, including their names, photos, and several Months of short video content. The videos even appear to have been uploaded to Zynn before the app's official launch in the United States.
Zynn arrived on iOS and Android in early May and quickly rose to the top of the download charts.
By the end of May, the app had become the most downloaded free iOS app and a top 10 download in the Google Play Store.
Part of the reason for this rapid growth is the app's rewards program, where users receive cash rewards for watching videos and recruiting friends, the legality of which is unclear.
A Zynn spokesperson told the Financial Times that the app was removed from the Play Store It's because of "plagiarism" and admits the company has "made some mistakes in this area".
The social media account, which claims to be run by Zynn, says the company is "communicating with Google and working to resolve this as quickly as possible problem. "Zynn also said that a new method has been launched for users to report content theft.
For its part, an Apple spokesperson said it was investigating the app.
