Public RSS aggregator app rejected!

Question

Created Jan ’16

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Hi there,

I've created a very simple aggregator app that uses ONLY public rss feeds from many websites. It was rejected for this reason:

8.5 - Apps may not use protected third party material such as trademarks, copyrights, patents or violate 3rd party terms of use. Authorization to use such material must be provided upon request

Next Steps

Please provide documentary evidence of rights to use this content. Once Legal has reviewed your documentation and confirms its validity, we will proceed with the review of your app.

Don't know how to move forward, do I have to email every website contained in my app? It's nosense - RSS feeds are public!

Moreover in this app I listed all the articles with Author, Website and Title of the post. When you read the article you can share it (usual socials) and open it directly in the browser. Don't see any kind of violation...Ah moreover the app is completely FREE and I only post FREE content from blogs/websites.

Is there someone with a similar experience?

Thank you!

Boost

Answer 1

PBK OP

Jan ’16

Actually, the content in an RSS feed is copyrighted and the fact that you are distributing it "for free" has nothing to do with whether or not you are allowed to distribute it. The question as to whether or not you can distribute the entire content of an RSS feed, even though it is copyrighted, has not been decided by the courts and is, arguably, unclear. Your doing it 'for free' has nothing to do with whether or not you are authorized to do it. You can appeal the rejection explaining that you are redistributing RSS feeds and such distribution has not been shown to be an infringement of the copyright. Assert that as a matter of current law you are, in fact, 'authorized' to redistribute the RSS feeds that you are redistributing. Worth a try - sort of like saying "But officier, I wasn't speeding".

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