Google Play Store to crack down on copycat apps
Google has announced several policy changes to its Play Store application marketplace, including stricter rules regarding copycat applications.
From 31 August, Google will not allow applications that “mislead someone by impersonating someone else (for example, another developer, company, entity) or another app.”
Google has advised developers to avoid falsely implying that their applications are related to or authorised by well-known third parties.
“Be careful not to use app icons, descriptions, titles, or in-app elements that could mislead users about your app’s relationship to someone else or another app,” Google said.
Some of the most common examples of copycat applications are:
- Developers that falsely imply a relationship to another company/developer, like using “Google Developer” as the app author.
- App icons and titles that falsely imply a relationship with another company/developer, like copying another company’s logo.
- App titles and icons that only slightly differ from existing products or services to mislead users.
- Apps that falsely claim to be the official app of an established entity — Titles like “Cara Delevingne Official” are not allowed without the necessary permissions or rights.
- Any applications that falsely use the Android brand.
Using an official emblem or company logo is not allowed without permission.
App titles and icons that are so similar to those of existing products or services that users may be misled are not allowed.
Google has also emphasised that it won’t condone applications with misleading health claims that can cause harm to others and contradict existing medical consensus.
From 30 September, Google will not allow full-screen advertisements, regardless of the format, “that show unexpectedly, typically when the user has chosen to do something else.”
“Full-screen interstitial ads of all formats that are not closeable after 15 seconds are not allowed,” Google said.
Interstitial advertisements are full-screen ads that take over an application’s interface and typically display between content or activities, like when you transition between game levels.
However, the tech giant will allow opt-in full-screen interstitial advertisements that do not interrupt user actions to last more than 15 seconds.
The above changes are only a few outlined in Google’s Developer Program Policy document.
Other changes include removing apps that endanger children or contain inappropriate advertisements and misleading claims.
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