I'm wondering if the evil solution is to update the app in such a way that it no longer complies with the rules and get yourself banned from the app store. Although that has other risks to your other google accounts.
That will only cause the update to be rejected, leaving it on the normal version. But maybe you could make it non-compliant by changing server-side content without an app update.
No, there is no requirement to support the software, at least according to what we've heard here. Simply that you can't remove your current rev from the store - you can't prevent people from downloading it.
That's a bit misleading. You can unpublish the app[0], which hides it in the Play Store and prevents new installs. It just doesn't remove the app from the people who already have the app installed, and I think they'll be able to install it on new phones.
I don't know why the OP is choosing not to unpublish the app.
...and yet it was enough not to verify my account (which I didn't do because it included consenting to my address being shown) to get it removed with all its apps.
I'm in the UK. But I've seen developers from all around having the same issue. (See Reddit)
My app is a free app, and their policy (which I don't agree with) states that private home addresses will only be shown for monetised apps.
To my surprise, Google published my home address for a free app. My account is new too, and address verification is a requirement for getting your developer account approved.
This, just calmly explain to them your awareness of the asymmetrical costs you can inflict on them (which GDPR etc were specifically designed to create) and what you'll be doing next on what date. And then make sure you do it.
I've found quoting exact provisions of statutes to be very effective (just be careful to be right).
From my anecdotal experience of 1 attempt of writing to the ICO it was 100% effective: several months later I received a polite response with a history of communication between ICO and the organisation I complained about, where the latter had to justify what they were doing. This was a sports organisation that originally announced that they would be putting DOB of the athletes on their public profiles, but ultimately was just the age (because there are age bands in competitions) maybe as a result of my complaint - who knows?
You may wish to contact compliance and inform them that they are violating legal requirements in the UK (assuming that this is, y'know...true). Without blustering or yelling (getting angry makes you look less credible), simply state the government agency that accepts complaints, and state that you will file a complaint if the matter is not resolved. If there are laws that mandate how fast Google is required to resolve the issue, it is worth mentioning them.
In general, support has the incentive of making tickets go away. Compliance has the incentive of making sure the company doesn't run afoul of regulators. Compliance is also much much more powerful at an organizational level.
Sounds like it's a matter of UK law then. At a time when neither the US, nor its tech giants, are particularly popular at 10 Downing St. Nor in the UK generally.
And like you've a fair bit of company, to make common cause - whether paying solicitors, or raising a ruckus.
