Android users are familiar with the Google Play Store, which houses over 2.5 million different apps to meet all your needs. You can choose from a wide range of options for streaming music, keeping up to date on news or browsing social media. But with all this talk about data tracking and cookies – not the kind you eat – it can be difficult to determine if certain apps deviate from their core function. Now Google has issued a new warning about just that. Read on to learn what the company says you need to pay close attention to.
RELATED: If you get this message from Google, delete it, experts warn.
Android users may feel tired of warnings from Google when it was recently announced that a dangerous new malware program called “Octo” had been discovered. According to a blog post from financial cybersecurity firm ThreatFabric, the banking malware is targeting Android phones. If you accidentally download it, hackers can gain full control of your device. To avoid infecting your phone with Octo or other malware, experts advise you to be careful about which apps and applications you install on your devices. In light of the recent warning from Google, there’s even more reason to pay attention when you click “download”.
Google has previously warned Android users to keep themselves and their devices safe when they go to the Google Play Store – and now there’s a better way to do it. The next time you click the app store icon, you may notice a new folder. Following a delay, the “Data Security” section has been officially rolled out, which can help users make informed decisions about apps that could invade their privacy, as reported by The American sun.
“We’re working hard to keep Google Play a safe, reliable place for people to enjoy the latest Android apps,” said a blog post from Google. “Today we launch a new feature, the Data Security Section, where developers are required to provide people with more information on how apps collect, share and secure users’ data.”
RELATED: For more updated information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
According to a Google blog post, this policy will allow Android users to “learn what an app collects and why, so you can download with confidence.” The data security section now requires app developers to specify the type of data they collect from you and how it is used. There will also be a note on whether this data is necessary for the function of the app, or whether you can opt out of data collection.
Developers will need to note whether data is shared with third parties, what the app’s security practices are, whether it is required to follow Google Play’s family policy (if qualified), and whether developers have “validated their security practices against a global security standard.”
Google claims that it now gives users “more visibility” in data collection, as “apps should help users explore the world, connect with loved ones, work, learn something new and more without compromising user security.” According to The American sunthis step was initiated in response to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature, which was launched in 2021.
But be warned – just because Google now requires apps to reveal more information about data, does not mean that the final decision to download or not is not up to you. Although you may not be inclined to read the entire user agreement or in small print, it may still be worthwhile to do so for the time being.
RELATED: If you have an Android, you are now barred from doing so.