As the coronavirus takes an edge within the U.S., fears surrounding the virus and its spreading are picked up momentum. We've already seen several conferences cancelled as a precaution, including MWC 2020, GDC, Facebook's F8 conference, and even Google I/O 2020.
Now, alongside trying to guard users against the spread of the virus, Google is additionally attempting to stop the spread of misinformation via the Play Store. As of now, all searches for "coronavirus" or "COVID-19" are disabled. checking out either term on the Play Store will reveal zero results, which should, in theory, prevent nefarious developers from preying on your fears.
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| credit: androidcentral |
With the coronavirus being such a hot topic lately, it isn't a surprise that the web is rife with misinformation. Even worse, some are looking to require advantage of the outbreak by spreading malware. rather than taking over the monumental task of reviewing each of those apps, Google has opted for a blanket ban on any app using the 2 terms in an attempt to maximize the health scare.
While we will all appreciate Google taking pre-emptive actions to guard users, an all-out ban could be a step too far. Surely, there's an area for a few useful apps surrounding the coronavirus, like a tracker for the virus. Perhaps, selectively approving apps would be more helpful. After all, Google isn't censoring coronavirus or COVID-19 from its program. the knowledge and misinformation are still readily available through your browser. It might be useful to possess a couple of approved apps to assist during this health emergency.
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