Google Joins Apple In Banning Cryptocurrency Mining Apps

Google has joined Apple in banning cryptocurrency mining Apps in its app store. In what appears to be a change in the Google Play store policy change, the company will no longer allow the listing of apps that facilitate cryptocurrency mining.

However, the tech giant did not make the policy change official until it started removing the affected apps. Developers who have seen their cryptocurrency mining apps delisted from the popular Android app store continue to share their outcry on Reddit.

The new policy change reads “We don't allow apps that mine cryptocurrency on devices."  Google has also ramped up its crackdown on apps with repetitive content in the app store, having made it clear they face the chop.

Amidst the policy change, the Android owner won’t be removing cryptocurrency mining apps that facilitate mining operations on remote devices. Apps that enable mining on servers, as well as desktops, remain unaffected with the new changes.

Google fight is with mining apps that use devices CPU or GPU for mining operations.  Banning such apps is of great importance given that untethered mining operations continue to pose serious risks.  For instance, it has been found that such operations result in overheating of devices which goes a long way in destroying batteries. In severe cases, such batteries tend to deform leak and end up catching fire.

Android malware such as Loapi and hiddenmalware continue to justify Google bid to ban on mining activities in Android devices. There have been cases whereby hackers have used such malware to hijack devices CPU and ended up propagating illegal mining operations.

It is not the first time that Google has sought to clamp down on illegal mining operations especially in Android devices. In April, the company announced that iOS Chrome Web Store review officer would stop accepting any extensions that perform cryptocurrency mining operations.

Apple updated its App store guidelines last month and in the process banned any iOS or Mac apps that utilize people’s devices to carry out mining operations.  The ban targets apps whose main intention is to carry out mining operations. Apps that seek to facilitate cryptocurrency operations such as managing or trading of cryptocurrencies remain permitted.

The tech giant took the step to crackdown on mining operations on becoming clear that such operations had evolved to become cybercrime trend among malware developers.