In 2024, Google implemented a number of innovations aimed at ensuring the safety of mobile applications.
Among key achievements was the blocking of 2.36 million applications that violated the Google Play policy. Additionally, 158,000 developers’ accounts were removed for attempting to place malicious content. Artificial intelligence played a significant role in speeding up the moderation process, with more than 92% of checks of potentially dangerous applications now involving AI. This allowed for quick identification of threats and prevention of their appearance in the store.
Google also focused on protecting user confidentiality by revoking unnecessary access to personal data from more than 1.3 million applications. A new data deletion feature was introduced to empower users to manage their data and understand information deletion policies. Recommendations on utilizing modern Android safety tools were provided to developers, resulting in 91% of applications now complying with Android 13 and newer standards.
The Play Integrity API system was enhanced to combat fraud, detecting attempts at hacking, bots, and other abuses. Developers using the tool observed an 80% decrease in suspicious user activity.
Google Play Protect remains vigilant at the Android operating system level, scanning over 200 billion applications daily by performing real-time code analysis . Throughout the year, more than 13 million new malware instances were identified from third-party sources. To prevent social engineering, Play Protect now automatically blocks the disabling of protection during phone calls and video chats to thwart scammers’ manipulations.
Furthermore, Google initiated a pilot project to combat financial fraud and protect 10 million devices from over 36 million suspicious application installation attempts. This program is operational in nine countries and is expected to expand.
An essential development was the introduction of trust icons for official state applications and VPN services meeting stringent security requirements. This initiative will help users identify reliable services and avoid fraudulent ones quickly. Google Play actively collaborates with state entities, developers, and technological companies like Microsoft and META* to establish unified security standards. The new security assessment standard is already applied to pre-installed software on Pixel devices.