Google bans app developer with over 600 million downloads over ad fraud

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This isn’t the first time Google has banned an app developer from its marketplace, but it’s probably one of its biggest yet. The tech giant banned Android developer DO Global after it discovered that it was committing ad fraud. A Buzzfeed report found at least six of the company’s apps have a code that made it seem like a user was clicking on an advertisement even if they weren’t using the apps. These even had generic names like Selfie Camera and Total Cleaner, which obscured the fact that they were owned by DO Global. And that violated Play Store policy.

Almost half of its over 100 apps have been removed from the Play Store. DO Global, which is partly owned by Chinese tech firm Baidu, has already racked up over 600 million downloads in the Play Store. The developer has also been taken out of Google’s AdMob network, which cuts off their access to Google’s mobile advertising service.

Source: Engadget