Google has been cracking down on apps on the Play Store that are trying to circumvent its rules in subtle ways. Earlier this year, it banned Du Global, a Chinese developer with over 500 million downloads across its 100+ apps, from the Play Store and AdMob network for displaying intrusive ads. Google has also temporarily removed another developer – CooTek, the creator of the popular TouchPal keyboard – from the Play Store and ad network after a report found that its apps were abusing permissions and displaying intrusive ads on Android devices .
Security firm Lookout revealed last month that 238 of the apps published by Chinese developer CooTek contained adware. The adware, called “BeiTaPlugin,” has the ability to activate ads when the phone is locked, not in use, or when CooTek’s apps are not running. While ads displayed outside of apps clearly violate Google Play’s ad policy, these ads are more annoying than dangerous. Many users have complained that they are unable to answer calls or use any other apps “due to the persistent and pervasive nature of the ads.”
The developers tried to hide the add-on among other elements of the APK file, naming it something similar to the application, in order to avoid detection.
The revelation came in June, and CooTek apologized for the adware and uploaded new versions of apps to the Play Store. Those apps were accepted after Google confirmed they were safe. But a later analysis by security firm Lookout and BuzzFeed News found that 58 of the 238 apps previously removed still had the malicious code.
CooTek denied these allegations via a press release, saying it “reviewed its apps and found no evidence to suggest these charges.” However, BuzzFeed reports that Google confirmed these findings, removing not only the 58 malicious apps from the Play Store, but also the company itself from its ad network.
At the moment, CooTek's Touchpal-branded apps are not available for download on the Play Store, but if you already have one of them installed on device , you may be able to use it without any problems, although it is not recommended.
