Google makes it easier to find official government apps on the Play Store

Google says Play Store will now show a new “Government” badge for apps that are affiliated with a government entity.

Google Play Store, the default app store on most Android devices is getting a new feature that will indicate if an app is published by the government. The tech giant says the move enables users to identify if the app they are looking at is legitimate or not.

In the last few years, several fake apps that mimic government-sponsored apps have found their way to the Play Store. To address this very issue, Google says it has worked with 14 different governments worldwide, which also includes the Government of India.

The tech giant says currently more than 2,000 apps in countries like Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the United States and India bear the new badge. In India, the new badge is visible on apps like Digilocker, mAdhaar, NextGen mParivahan, Voter Helpline and more.

When users click on an app name to see its description, they will see a new “Government” badge just below the app name. Tapping on it will open a pop-up that shows a message saying “Play verified this app is affiliated with a government entity”. The company also said that the badge is also displayed in lists like ‘Top Charts’.

Google also said that they often ask developers to submit proof if they are allowed to store and process government documents and encourages governments across the world to use official email IDs to create developer accounts.

While Google often removes apps with false descriptions, misleading icons and screenshots, the official app store for Android devices is filled with several apps that claim to be the official one. With the new badge, Google claims it will be easier for users to steer clear of the fake ones and eventually reduce the instances where users may share sensitive information with bad actors.