Following months of testing, Google is now implementing official app badges in the Play Store to distinguish authorized state and federal government apps in over 14 countries. This initiative aims to assist users in differentiating between legitimate government apps and deceptive apps that may attempt to steal personal information or financial resources. According to the company, these badges are currently active for more than 2,000 apps in countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, India, and Mexico. Last November, Google provided a preview of this feature while announcing new regulations for app developers. Official apps will now display a ‘Government’ badge for users to easily identify. Upon tapping the badge, a pop-up message appears, stating that ‘Play has verified that this app is associated with a government entity.’ The badge will also be visible in app listings such as ‘Top Charts.’ Google has collaborated with governments and their developer partners to integrate apps with these badges. In India, the company has faced challenges with numerous fraudulent federal and state government apps emerging on the Play Store, intentionally misleading users. Google emphasized that Play Store’s policy already prohibits apps with false descriptions, deceptive icons, or screenshots, particularly those claiming to be affiliated with official entities. Google’s policy on deceptive behavior clearly states that ‘Apps that falsely claim affiliation with a government entity or to provide or facilitate government services for which they are not properly authorized’ are not permitted. Google requires developers to provide evidence if they possess sufficient authorization to process government documents for security reasons. The company also encourages governments to utilize official email addresses to establish developer accounts on Google Play for app publication.
Google Rolls Out Official App Badges in Play Store for 14+ Countries
