Preserving Google Play secure for customers and builders stays a high precedence for Google. As customers more and more prioritize their digital privateness and safety, we proceed to spend money on our Information Security part and transparency labeling efforts to assist customers make extra knowledgeable selections in regards to the apps they use.
Analysis reveals that clear safety labeling performs a vital position in client threat notion, constructing belief, and influencing product buying selections. We imagine the identical rules apply for labeling and badging within the Google Play retailer. The transparency of an app’s knowledge safety and privateness play a key position in a consumer’s resolution to obtain, belief, and use an app.
Highlighting Independently Safety Examined VPN Apps
Final 12 months, App Protection Alliance (ADA) launched MASA (Cell App Safety Evaluation), which permits builders to have their apps independently validated towards a world safety normal. This alerts to customers that an unbiased third-party has validated that the builders designed their apps to satisfy these trade cellular safety and privateness minimal greatest practices and the builders are going the additional mile to establish and mitigate vulnerabilities. This, in flip, makes it tougher for attackers to succeed in customers’ gadgets and improves app high quality throughout the ecosystem. Upon completion of the profitable validation, Google Play offers builders the choice to declare an “Impartial safety evaluation” badge in its Information Security part, as proven within the picture under. Whereas certification to baseline safety requirements doesn’t indicate {that a} product is freed from vulnerabilities, the badge related to these validated apps helps customers see at-a-glance {that a} developer has prioritized safety and privateness practices and dedicated to consumer security.
To assist in giving customers a simplified view of which apps have undergone an unbiased safety validation, we’re introducing a brand new Google Play retailer banner for particular app varieties, beginning with VPN apps. We’ve launched this banner starting with VPN apps as a result of delicate and important quantity of consumer knowledge these apps deal with. When a consumer searches for VPN apps, they may now see a banner on the high of Google Play that educates them in regards to the “Impartial safety evaluation” badge within the Information Security Part. Customers even have the power to “Be taught Extra”, which redirects them to the App Validation Listing, a centralized place to view all VPN apps which have been independently safety reviewed. Customers also can uncover further technical evaluation particulars within the App Validation Listing, serving to them to make extra knowledgeable selections about what VPN apps to obtain, use, and belief with their knowledge.
VPN suppliers similar to NordVPN, Google One, ExpressVPN, and others have already undergone unbiased safety testing and publicly declared the badge displaying their good standing with the MASA program. We encourage and anticipate further VPN app builders to endure unbiased safety testing, bringing much more transparency to customers. In case you are a VPN developer and focused on studying extra about this characteristic, please submit this type.
Our Dedication to App Safety and Privateness Transparency on Google Play
By encouraging unbiased safety testing and displaying safety badges for validated apps, we spotlight builders who prioritize consumer security and knowledge transparency. We additionally present builders with app safety and privateness greatest practices – by Play PolicyBytes movies, webinars, weblog posts, the Developer Assist Group, and different sources – in accordance with our developer insurance policies that assist hold Google Play secure. We’re regularly engaged on enhancements to our app evaluation course of, insurance policies, and applications to maintain customers secure and to assist builders navigate our insurance policies with ease. To study extra about how we give builders the instruments to succeed whereas conserving customers secure on Google Play, learn the Google Security Middle article.
Our efforts to prioritize safety and privateness transparency on Google Play are aligned with the wants and expectations we’ve heard from each customers and builders. We imagine that by prioritizing initiatives that bolster consumer security and belief, we will foster a thriving app ecosystem the place customers could make extra knowledgeable app selections and builders are inspired to uphold the very best requirements of safety and privateness.
