Back in July 2018, Google PlayStore released an announcement stating their intention to completely eliminate crypto mining apps from the platform. A month has passed since then, and the current results are all but expected — the ban simply didn’t work.
Mining apps refuse to leave the PlayStore
Back in July of this year, Google announced that its platform will no longer allow crypto mining apps for fear of exposing its users to fraudulent and potentially harmful financial instruments. While this decision may have made sense considering the significant increase in crypto-related scams and theft, it didn’t seem to have made a significant impression on the platform’s users.
The decision to introduce this ban seemed pretty final but the PlayStore has yet to put it in effect.
Let’s take JSEcoin as an example. This is a blockchain startup from the UK that recently announced it is working on mining solutions for browsers. The new product is to provide an alternative to other methods of generating revenue, like advertising. When questioned about the ban, the company’s founder, John Sim, confirmed that it is coming into effect and that their company had reached out to Google to confirm that they are allowed to develop such a product and that their consumers will actually be able to use it.
No shortage of fake mining apps
JSE’s new app is not the only one. However, what makes it different is that it comes from a well-known and reputable source. Many other apps that can be found on the PlayStore are shady, at best. Even right now, there are over 100 apps that allow crypto mining present on Google Play. While some apps are solely dedicated to mining BTC, there are numerous others created for specific coins.
One such app called Faucet Ethereum Mining clearly shows that its last update was on July 30th, which was after Google’s announcement. While the apps remain on the PlayStore, their authenticity can be questionable. Faucet Ethereum Mining has conflicting reviews with some reviewers claiming that the app is a scam and are urging Google to remove it from the store, while others claim that the app works as it is supposed to, praising the app’s design and speed.
In the end, it can be hard to determine whether the app is real and the negative reviewers simply had trouble using it, or if it is actually a fake, and the positive reviewers are the scammers themselves, trying to trick people into using the app.
