Google Play Store Bans 2.28 Million Policy-Violating Apps in 2023, Sues Developers of Two Fraudulent Apps

In 2023, the Google Play Store blocked 2.28 million apps from being published due to significant policy violations. This move, detailed in a recent report by the tech giant, underscores its ongoing efforts to enhance the security and privacy of its users. Additionally, the company reported banning 333,000 developer accounts linked to confirmed malware and repeated severe policy breaches. Google has also implemented new policies to improve the overall user experience within its app marketplace.

A post on Google’s security-focused blog elaborated on the measures taken throughout the year to shield users from malicious apps, malware, and online scams. In addition to preventing 2.28 million apps from being published and banning 333,000 developer accounts, the Play Store rejected or required remediation for approximately 200,000 app submissions that misused sensitive permissions. These permissions include access to background location, SMS, and Contacts.

Furthermore, Google has taken legal action against two app developers, filing a lawsuit in federal court. These developers repeatedly attempted to upload fraudulent investment and crypto exchange apps designed to scam users. The company highlighted that the fraudsters used deceptive practices to circumvent the app acceptance process.

“This lawsuit is a critical step in holding these bad actors accountable and sending a clear message that we will aggressively pursue those who seek to take advantage of our users,” Google stated. This legal action underscores Google’s commitment to maintaining a safe digital environment.

In addition to these efforts, Google has introduced stricter policies aimed at enhancing user trust and safety. These policies focus on ensuring transparent data usage and preventing the misuse of sensitive information.

The combination of these measures illustrates Google’s proactive approach in safeguarding the Play Store ecosystem, ensuring that users can trust the apps they download and use.

The safety initiatives are not just limited to apps within the Google Play Store. The company said it boosted the capabilities of Play Protect to allow real-time scanning at the code level of an app downloaded from alternative app marketplaces. It claims that it was able to detect over five million new malicious off-Play apps. As per the post, Play Protect’s machine learning algorithms learn from each submitted app and self-improve over time.