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Tech

02nd Dec 2017

Google has finally banned one of the most annoying things about Android apps

Carl Kinsella

If you’re an Android user, this will be a major relief to you.

Whether you’re an Apple-head or an Android fanboy, everyone can admit that all smartphones have certain benefits and certain pitfalls.

In the Android operating system, apps have more freedom to do whatever they want — which can be a good thing… However, one of the most irritating consequences of that freedom is things like apps that can send ads to your lockscreen.

Google has now made it an official policy to ban apps that try to monetise a user’s lockscreen, meaning that you’ll have way fewer ads bugging you as a result of the apps you download.

The change in Google’s Developer Policy Centre makes it crystal clear that future use of the lockscreen for ads won’t be tolerated:

“Unless the exclusive purpose of the app is that of a lockscreen, apps may not introduce ads or features that monetize the locked display of a device.”

The Developer Policy Centre also makes it clear that “Ads should not be shown in a way that results in inadvertent clicks,” which would also rule out lockscreen ads, which are designed to get users to click on them without realising that they’re doing so.

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Topics:

Android,Google