Google Play will now display verification badges on approved VPNs as a way to “highlight apps that prioritize user privacy and safety,” the company announced on Tuesday. The new badge will appear on a VPN app’s details page and within search results, proving that it meets specific standards outlined by Google.
To qualify for the new verification badge, VPN apps must complete a Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA) Level 2 validation, which evaluates an app’s security. VPNs must also have at least 10,000 installs and 250 reviews, be published on Google Play for at least 90 days, submit information on how they collect user data, and opt in to independent security reviews. Google notes that while “other factors contribute to the evaluation,” completing these requirements “significantly increase[s]” a VPN app’s chance of getting a verified badge.
The update has good timing, as many users are downloading VPNs — some of which may not be secure — in order to gain access to TikTok, which still hasn’t returned to Google Play or Apple’s App Store. VPN apps from Nord, hide.me, and Aloha have already received a verification badge.
This builds on Google’s efforts to provide more transparency and security in the Play Store. The company rolled out privacy labels in 2022 and later introduced a badge showing whether an app received an independent security review.
