As the coronavirus gains a foothold in the United States, fears surrounding the virus and its spread have grown. We have already seen several conferences canceled as a precaution, in particular MWC 2020, GDC, the F8 conference of Facebook and even Google I / O 2020.
Now, in addition to trying to protect users from the spread of the virus, Google is also trying to prevent the spread of false information through the Play Store. For now, all searches for “coronavirus” or “COVID-19” have been disabled. Searching for any of the terms on the Play Store will not yield any results, which should, in theory, keep infamous developers from feeding on your fears.
With coronavirus being a hot topic lately, it’s no surprise that the Internet is full of misinformation. Worse still, some seek to take advantage of the epidemic by spreading malware. Instead of taking on the monumental task of examining each of these apps, Google has opted for a blanket ban on any app using both terms in order to take advantage of the health scare.
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While we may all appreciate that Google is taking preventative measures to protect users, a total ban could be a step too far. Certainly, there is space for some useful applications surrounding the coronavirus, such as a tracker for the virus. Maybe selective approval of apps would be more helpful. After all, Google does not censor the coronavirus or COVID-19 from its search engine. Information and erroneous information is always easily accessible via your browser. It might be helpful to have a handful of approved apps to help you during this health emergency.
Coronavirus: Best Online Resources and How Your Smartphone Can Help You
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