Google swipes left on 'Sugar Dating' apps, will uninstall them from Play Store by Sept 1

New Delhi: Google is all set to remove ‘Super Dating’ apps from the Play Store to make the app downloading platform for Android phones a safer place. The tech giant said that Play Store will stop hosting ‘Sugar Dating' apps from September 1. 

On the support page, Google has mentioned that the dating apps under the scanner will be removed for hosting ‘sexual content’ on the app. Google is also updating several other new policies such as Device and Network Abuse Policy, Permission Policy, starting September 1. 

On the Play Console support website, Google has specified the upcoming changes coming to Google Play Store. “We’re updating the Inappropriate Content policy to institute new restrictions on sexual content, specifically prohibiting compensated sexual relationships (i.e., sugar dating),” Google said. 

Google is enforcing a blanket ban on all such apps such as SDM, Spoiler, and Sugar Daddy. For those uninitiated, Sugar Dating apps allow elderly people to date younger people to overcome loneliness, but usually for money. 

Besides the ban on Sugar Dating apps, Google Play Store will incorporate several other new policies, including a developer preview of App Set ID for analytics or fraud prevention. 

“We’re updating our Ads policy to indicate changes in the usage of Android advertising ID. When a user deletes the Android advertising ID on a newer device, the advertising identifier will be removed and replaced with a string of zeros, Google said, adding that this policy change will come into effect from October 4, 2021. Also Read: India's eight core industries' June production grew at around 9%

Meanwhile, from September 29, 2021, Google will be updating its Store Listing and Promotion policy to prohibit spam text and graphics in-app titles, icons, and developer names. Also Read: Airtel, Vi could hike tariffs of telecom plans in August, time to loosen your purse strings?