The Apple App Store is now in the spotlight on how it deals with fake crypto apps that trick investors into thinking they are investing in real and legitimate digital currencies.
In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and US Senate President of Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Sherrod Brown, he inquires about the steps Apple is taking in screening, reviewing, and removing encryption apps before and after they become available for download from the App Store.
Apple already uses a strict set of rules for apps on the App Store, but Brown wants to know the exact steps Apple is taking to prevent fake crypto apps from accessing the platform.
While companies that offer cryptocurrency investment and other related services must take steps to prevent fraudulent activity, including warning investors of a slight increase in scams, it is also essential that app stores have appropriate safeguards in place to prevent fraudulent mobile app activity.
In the App Store Guidelines, Apple sets several policies for encryption apps on the App Store. These policies state that crypto apps cannot mine cryptocurrency using on-device processing, and apps must not require users to complete tasks such as posting on social media in order to get the coin and more.
However, Brown’s letter asks Apple to share details it specifically takes on how it responds to fake encryption apps. In the letter, Apple is asked to describe the encryption app review process, steps Apple takes to remove encryption apps that circumvent App Store policies, how often it reviews existing encryption apps against fraudulent activity, steps users can take to report fraudulent encryption apps, and whether Apple has been part of any coordinated effort to remove fraudulent crypto apps from the App Store since January 2020.
Apple has until August 10 to submit all of this information to the panel. The same message was also sent to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google.
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