Google’s changes should boost user privacy by bottlenecking intrusive Android apps that pose as legitimate VPNs to track and collect user data. The policy also aims at VPNs that impact app monetization by manipulating ads and those that redirect or manipulate traffic for monetization purposes (e.g., redirecting ad traffic through a different country than the user). The update seems directed against VPN providers that surreptitiously collect personal, sensitive data from end-users without seeking their consent or disclosing the activity beforehand. This merely means that the mentioned apps can also create secure device-level tunnels to a remote server, but they’re not required to function as VPNs. However, there are also exceptions for apps that use remote servers “for core functionality,” such as parental control apps, anti-virus solutions, firewalls, web browsers, remote access tools, carrier apps, and app usage trackers. “Only apps that use the VPNService and have VPN as their core functionality can create a secure device-level tunnel to a remote server,” reads Google’s announcement. 1 and applies to Android VPN service providers that use the VPN Service base class. The new policy, announced in late July, takes effect Nov. Although the new policy aims to counter data-harvesting VPN services and ad manipulation fraud, it could also impact legitimate privacy protection apps. Starting in November, Google will prevent Android VPN apps hosted on its Play Store marketplace from blocking or interfering with ads.
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