New Delhi: Google has removed three apps from its Play Store recently after the apps were caught violating its policies. The three popular apps used by kids were deleted from the Play Store after it received concerns from International Digital Accountability Council (IDCA). Also Read – Google to Move Hangouts Users to Free Chat Service Next Year
According to the IDCA, the three apps— Princess Salon, Number Coloring and Cats & Cosplay, were collecting data of users, who happen to be children in most instances, in violation to the Play Store policies, and that this data was potentially leaking to SDKs of third parties. Also Read – Gandhi Jayanti 2020: Google Launches Online Exhibition Of Postcards Inspired By Mahatma Gandhi
“The practices we observed in our research raised serious concerns about data practices within these apps,” IDAC president Quentin Palfrey told media website TechCrunch. Also Read – Communications Decency Act: US Senate Panel Votes to Subpoena Facebook, Google, Twitter CEOs
Speaking to the website, a Google Spokesperson said, “We can confirm that the apps referenced in the report were removed,” said a Google spokesperson. “Whenever we find an app that violates our policies, we take action.”
However, it is not clear what kind of data the apps were collecting as these were the apps used by kids as they claimed to gamify learning. A number of similar apps still continue to be available on the stores managed by Google and Apple.
This incident is being highlighted at a time when a lot of attention is being focused on Google and the size of its operation.
