Google Play adds a ‘Verified’ badge for trusted VPN apps – TechCrunch
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Google Play is rolling out “Verified” badges for select VPN apps to make it easier for users to find trust services. Apps with the badge prioritize user privacy and safety, Google said in a blog post on Tuesday.The badge indicates that the developers of an app have adhered to the Play safety and security guidelines and completed a Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA) Level 2 validation, which essentially means that the app has been double-checked for security.In addition, a VPN app needs to have at least 10,000 installs and 250 reviews to be considered for the Verified badge. The app must also have been on Google Play for at least 90 days and meet target API level requirements for Google Play apps.Google says the badge will help apps stand out, as it will be displayed on specific apps’ details page and in search results. The tech giant says it has also built new surfaces in Google Play to showcase verified VPN apps.“This new badge is designed to highlight apps that prioritize user privacy and safety, help users make more informed choices about the VPN apps they use, and build confidence in the apps they ultimately download,” Google wrote in its blog post.The change comes as Google has been working to showcase and identify safe apps on its marketplace. Last May, the company introduced “Government” labels in Google Play to denote official state and federal government apps. Topics
Consumer News Reporter
Aisha is a consumer news reporter at TechCrunch. Prior to joining the publication in 2021, she was a telecom reporter at MobileSyrup. Aisha holds an honours bachelor’s degree from University of Toronto and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University. Zuck shrugs off DeepSeek, vows to spend hundreds of billions on AI
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Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/28/google-play-adds-a-verified-badge-for-trusted-vpn-apps/
