Google has recently updated the Play Store Developer Policy page to prohibit several categories of apps including the ones that mine cryptocurrency on user’s device. Google states that “We don’t allow apps that mine cryptocurrency on devices”.
According to newly added policy Google will however continue to “permit apps that remotely manage the mining of cryptocurrency”. This implies that the crypt-o-currency mining operations that utilize device’s CPU (Central Processing Unit) or GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) will be removed from the official play store.
Hence, only those mining apps will be permitted on Google’s official Play Store that control the mining operations on remote devices – such as cloud based mining servers or desktop .
To take advantage of this increasing popularity of cryptocurrency mining Cyber criminals resorted to unethical practices . They hid Malware in the mining apps. The infection was capable of carrying out various sinister actions like spamming contacts and overloading the device with adverts alongside the mining of cryptocurrencies.
The announcement of removal of Cryptocurrency mining apps has not been publicly declared by Google. However, developers who found their app removed shared the news on Reddit, an online platform allowing users to share news or content or comment on people’s post.
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