Why it is recommended to download applications on trusted platforms: In 2023, Google rejected publication of more than 2 million dangerous applications on Google Play

In 2023, Google rejected the publication of 2.28 million applications in the Google Play store that violated the rules and potentially threatened the safety of users. The company also suspended 333,000 Google Play accounts that downloaded malware, fraudulent apps, or violated app store policies.

Interestingly, in 2023, both the number of potentially dangerous applications and the number of accounts trying to publish them increased noticeably. For comparison, in 2022 there were 1.5 million and 173,000, respectively.

Last year, the company also denied or required corrections to about 200,000 applications to publish apps that requested access to sensitive data without a valid reason, such as SMS or user location data.

The company has also strengthened security measures on Google Play. Developer registration and identity verification processes have become more stringent, independent security checks have been introduced for certain categories of applications, and real-time scanning has been introduced to prevent malware from running.

This report once again proves that Google (and Apple) care about their reputation and the safety of their users. This is why many experts recommend downloading apps only from official app stores like the Google Play Store or Apple App Store: this will help minimize security risks, protect your privacy, and ensure that apps run more securely and reliably on your device.

Additionally, apps from official stores are more likely to receive regular updates and support from developers, ensuring you have access to the latest features, bug fixes, and security updates.