Google’s Play Store Removes TikTok Rival Kuaishou’s Zynn Following Reports of Plagiarism

Chinese TikTok-style video app Zynn has been removed from Google’s Play Store Tuesday amid accusations it has been stealing content from TikTok.

According to English technology publication WIRED, some social media influencers on TikTok have reported their profiles and content have been reposted entirely to Zynn without consent.

Launched in May by Chinese video sharing app Kuaishou, Zynn soon began appearing at the top of download charts both in the Apple Store and Google’s Play Store. Zynn has already been downloaded over 3 million times, according to Sensor Tower’s data this week, and ranked number one on Apple’s list of the most popular free apps.

Although Zynn is similar to ByteDance’s TikTok, it is still different from its cash payout system for users who watch videos and invite friends to sign up. Users will earn $1 for signing up, $20 for the first person they get to join, and $10 for every five users afterward. Earnings can be redeemed as gift cards or transferred via Paypal.

SEE ALSO: Kuaishou Aims to Conquer U.S. Market with New App

The company posted on its Twitter and Instagram accounts on Wednesday confirming the app had been taken down from the Google Play Store.

“We are in communications with Google and working to fix this ASAP,” the company said. “We ask for your patience and thank you for your continued support.”

A spokesperson for Zynn also confirmed with the Financial Times the removal, and said they have already launched a new page in the app for users to report inappropriate videos.

“We admit we have had some lapses in this area,” the spokesperson said to FT, adding that it lacked the technology to tell if videos uploaded by users had been copied from elsewhere.

Google has yet to comment on the reason for taking down the app. Apple said it was looking into Zynn, but the app is currently still available on its app store.