Google is rolling out a "Government" label within the Play Store to identify official state and federal government apps.
This addition aims to assist users in distinguishing legitimate government apps from fake ones.
These badges are currently applied to over 2,000 apps in numerous countries, including in India.
Google has started rolling out labels within the Play Store to identify official state and federal government apps in over 14 countries. This addition aims to assist users in distinguishing legitimate government apps from fraudulent ones, which may attempt to deceive users into getting personal information or finances.
These badges are currently applied to over 2,000 apps in numerous countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, India, and Mexico, reports TechCrunch.
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This feature was initially teased by the tech giant last year when it announced new rules for app developers.
Users will now notice a new “Government” badge accompanying official apps. Tapping on this badge triggers a pop-up message saying, “Play verified this app is affiliated with a government entity.” Additionally, the badge will appear in lists such as “Top Charts” for apps,
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Google has collaborated with governments and their developer partners to facilitate the onboarding of apps with badges. In India, the company encountered challenges with numerous fake central and state government apps proliferating on the Play Store.
It’s worth noting that Play Store’s existing policies already prohibit apps with inaccurate descriptions, misleading icons or screenshots, especially those falsely claiming to be official apps.
A common violation includes “apps that falsely claim affiliation with a government entity or to provide or facilitate government services for which they are not properly authorised,” Google’s rule about deceptive behaviour read.
Developers are required to submit proof of sufficient authorisation to process government documents. Additionally, Google encourages the government to utilise official email IDs when creating developer accounts on Google Play for publishing apps.
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Ayushi Jain
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