With a new privacy policy, Google wants to increase the security of apps in the Play Store, but the system has a catch.
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You can quickly view an app’s data collection in the Play Store.
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If you install a new app or game in the Google Play Store, you can see what rights the respective application has for operation before you install it. A manual security check is intended to make this system even easier in the future – but there is a catch: from July 20, 2022, app developers must agree to the change. As a result, the app permissions are no longer read automatically, but must be expanded by the app developer with additional information in the data security tab.
Leap of faith for developers
This new information includes the functions used by the app on the smartphone, what data is collected in detail and what it is used for. In addition, developers must indicate what security measures they take to protect the collected data. It becomes problematic, however, when you look at how this information comes about in the Play Store.
Kicking him out of the Play Store as punishment
Because Google relies completely on the information provided by the developers. The information can be entered accordingly by the app maker. A subsequent review by Google or external service providers does not take place. Developers of fraudulent apps could deliberately enter false information that reassures the user of the app. If this trick is noticed, Google throws the app in question out of the store. According to information from the magazine Bleeping Computer, however, there is no proactive check by Google.
Critical look at permissions
Accordingly, Android users must continue to examine with a critical eye which data an app wants to collect. A look at the ratings of the app can often help here.
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