Google Play is aiming to cut down on the number of copycats available on its store.
The app store, which serves Android smartphones and tablets, has warned creators that as part of a new policy update set to go live on August 31, they will not allow their users to be misled by impersonations and that certain terms will require certain permissions.
The policy update reads: “We don’t allow apps that mislead users by impersonating someone else (e.g. another developer, company or entity) or another app. Don’t imply that your app is related to or authorised by someone when it isn’t.
“Be careful not to use app icons, descriptions, titles or in-app elements that could mislead users about your app’s relationship to someone else or another app. Apps that falsely claim to be the official app of an established entity. Titles like ‘Justin Bieber Official’ are not allowed without the necessary permissions or rights.”
Meanwhile, the company also announced that developers cannot show full-screen ads of all formats and have also banned ads that do not offer a skip button after 15 seconds.
The post added: “Developers are required to comply with the following ads guidelines to ensure high-quality experiences for users when they are using Google Play apps. Your ads may not be shown in the following unexpected ways for users: full-screen interstitial ads of all formats (video, GIF, static, etc.) that show unexpectedly, typically when the user has chosen to do something else, are not allowed.
“Ads that appear during game play at the beginning of a level or during the beginning of a content segment are not allowed.
“Full-screen video interstitial ads that appear before an app’s loading screen (splash screen) are not allowed.”
BANG ShowBiz Tech