In 2023, Google significantly bolstered its efforts to fortify the security of its Play Store, blocking a staggering 2.28 million apps from publication due to policy violations. This marks a substantial increase from the 1.43 million rejections in 2022. Moreover, Google took action against 3.33 lakh "bad accounts" engaged in illicit activities, further tightening its grip on malicious actors.
To reinforce security measures, Google revamped its developer onboarding procedures, mandating more comprehensive identity verification upfront. This initiative aims to deter fraudulent entries and uphold a secure app ecosystem. The company also cracked down on apps misusing sensitive permissions, rejecting over two lakh submissions or requiring modifications for compliance with privacy standards.
Furthermore, Google withdrew access to 15 lakh services not meeting the latest API standards for users who updated to the newest Android version. In tandem, Google collaborated with SDK providers to enhance privacy safeguards and restrict sensitive data access. The expanded Google Play SDK Index now aids developers in making informed SDK choices by encompassing approximately six million apps across the Android platform. These initiatives underscore Google's commitment to enhancing the security and privacy.