copyright intellectual-property software licensing
Contact Microsoft legal department, or other ways to facilitate reinstatement of a Google Play app
<p>I used an icon of Microsoft Notepad (taken from Wikipedia) as the icon for a free <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.notes.notepad" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Notepad application Fast Notepad</a> in Google Play. It probably was beneficial for the community, as it had no ads, and many users could use it for education, and they accepted it with a high rating of 4.7. But currently it is <strong>suspended</strong> by Google Play, presumably because of the icon. So legal permissions for the image need to be discussed to handle copyright issues. </p>

<p>If the app is reinstated for a short time, so I can change the icon to another, this will be the desired result. I have not yet filed an appeal (the owner of a suspended app can send a proof of their rights, but only once).</p>

<p><strong>Is there a means to contact Microsoft legal department or similar on this issue or another way</strong> of solving the problem? Any information would help.</p>

<p><strong>Yes</strong></p>

<p>Best is to call them and let them guide you to the right department.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/contact.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/contact.aspx</a></p>

<p>In reality you can give up. They will never ever give you the permission to use the icon, even if you'd pay for it.</p>

<p>Why? Because as soon they give the permission to someone others will try to use it too and their legal stand would be more difficult since they softenend the use rights of that icon/intellectual property, opening doors for people who copy without thinking of the legal implications and scammers.</p>

<p>EDIT: To add; As far I know you're not allowed to take stuff from wikipedia without noticing them/linking to them. That your app is free also doesn't matters. Maybe you're even showing ads in your app giving it a commercial goal.</p>
