The Google Play Store has just introduced a new way for VPN suppliers to show that they offer secure and trustworthy services – a “verified” badge.
The new badge is designed to highlight VPN applications oriented towards consumers “who prioritize the confidentiality and safety of users”, explains the great technological giant in a blog article. The goal is to help users make more informed choices on VPN applications they download and use.
The new Google badge will be displayed on the VPN application details page and in search results as a guarantee, the virtual private network service (VPN) meets Google safety standards.
How to get Google’s “checked” badge
“Winning the VPN badge is not only to check a box – this is proof that your VPN application is investing in application safety,” said Google, stressing how the verification label will help suppliers stand out on A crowded VPN market.
To be eligible for the new verification badge, VPN suppliers must carry out level 2 validation of the evaluation of mobile applications (MASA). It is essentially an assessment of application security.
VPN applications must also have at least 10,000 facilities and 250 reviews. They also need a type of “organizational developer” account and to be published on Google for at least 90 days to qualify.
Eligible application developers must also subject information about how they collect user data and opt for independent security notices.
While other factors contribute to the evaluation, explains Google, fulfilling these requirements “considerably increases” the chances of obtaining the verified VPN badge.
Google’s initiative is a very necessary decision. More and more cases have proven that downloading a legitimate VPN application on the Internet is not enough to be safe.
At the beginning of the month, for example, Google warned against legitimate VPN applications used as a stolen door to infect devices with malware.
VPN downloads have also increased across the United States in recent times to escape age verification laws and temporary blocks applied to Tiktok.
Some of the best VPN applications have already received a verification badge. These include the first choice of NordVPN Techradar, Hide.me and Aloha Browser.
Google’s new verified badge adds to Google’s continuous commitment to better transparency and better security in its app store. These include confidentiality labels deployed in 2022 and independent security review banners presented the following year.
