Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

AP Photo/Eric Risberg
clean up

Microsoft begins cleaning up the Windows store by removing 1,500 fake apps from it

The company promises to remove more apps which mislead users and crack down on fake and scam apps.

MICROSOFT HAS RESPONDED to claims that its store has been filled up with duplicates and knockoffs by removing 1,500 apps.

In a blog post announcing the move, Microsoft’s general manager of Windows Apps and Store, Todd Brix, said that the company made a change in policy which will crack down on apps using misleading or deceptive strategies.

The move is part of an effort to clean up the store and regain trust in users after it was revealed that a vast number of scam apps filled up the store.

Earlier this year we heard loud and clear that people were finding it more difficult to find the apps they were searching for; often having to sort through lists of apps with confusing or misleading titles. We took the feedback seriously and modified the Windows Store app certification requirements as a first step toward better ensuring that apps are named and described in a way that doesn’t misrepresent their purpose.

The new certification process will apply to both new apps and existing app updates for both the Windows and Windows Phone store.

The company had reached out to developers who violated these policies with the less receptive ones being removed. As a result, more than 1,500 apps were removed from the store.

Those who paid for these apps will get a refund.

While it’s not clear whether these new policies will ensure that scam apps won’t appear in the store, Microsoft says it is “applying additional resources” which will help identify problem apps faster.

Read: Microsoft built a Surface Pro 3 tablet out of cardboard, and it kinda works >

Read: Microsoft expected to say ‘good riddance’ to Windows 8 >

Your Voice
Readers Comments
13
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.