Alert! Google to ban these apps from Play Store from Oct 1

Google has updated its Play Store policies to impose a ban on stalkerware apps that will be effective from October 1. All new and existing apps in the categories of Stalkerware, Misrepresentation and gambling will receive a grace period of at least 15 days from September 16 to comply with the changes, the company said in a statement

Stalkerware apps track a user`s movements and snoop on calls and messages.

Google has updated its Play Store policies to impose a ban on stalkerware apps that will be effective from October 1. All new and existing apps in the categories of Stalkerware, Misrepresentation and gambling will receive a grace period of at least 15 days from September 16 to comply with the changes, the company said in a statement

Stalkerware apps track a user`s movements and snoop on calls and messages. Google said that such apps that transmit personal information off the device without adequate notice or consent and do not display a persistent notification that this is happening will be banned from its Play Store.

However, Google allowed apps that can be used by parents to track their children.

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"However, these apps cannot be used to track a person (a spouse, for example) without their knowledge or permission unless a persistent notification is displayed while the data is being transmitted".

Non-stalkerware apps distributed on the Play Store which monitor or track a user`s behavior on a device must not present themselves as a spying or secret surveillance solution.

"Apps must not hide or cloak tracking behaviour or attempt to mislead users about such functionality and must present users with a persistent notification and unique icon that clearly identifies the app," the company said in its updated rules.

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