Google Play Store recorded 98% decrease in apps accessing SMS data

In 2019, Google recorded a 98 per cent decrease in apps accessing SMS and call log data. It was further able to stop over 790,000 policy-violating app submissions before they even made it to the Play Store.

A Huawei smartphone is seen in front of displayed Google Play logo (REUTERS)

Google detailed how it took down malicious apps and developers from the Play Store last year in its new security report.

In 2019, Google recorded a 98 per cent decrease in apps accessing SMS and call log data. It was further able to stop over 790,000 policy-violating app submissions before they even made it to the Play Store, the official blog notes.

The company enacted a policy to better protect families in May 2019 to update or remove tens of thousands of apps to make Play Store safer.

It also launched a refreshed Google Play Protect built-in malware protection for Android devices that prevented more than 1.9 billion malware installs from non-Google Play sources.