misleading tactics Archives

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Games that try to sneak bots into multiplayer matches are automatically trash

Morgan Park discusses the controversial presence of bots in multiplayer gaming and their impact on player experience and game integrity. In titles like Fortnite, an analysis showed that up to 90% of players in a typical lobby could be bots, leading to a false sense of security for seasoned players. In NetEase’s Marvel Rivals, players report being matched with bot-filled games after losing two consecutive matches, which undermines competition and misleads players about their skills. Some publishers exploit bots for dubious purposes, while others, like Rainbow Six Siege and Call of Duty, label bots and restrict their use to practice modes, promoting transparency and maintaining competitive integrity. The gaming community is encouraged to share experiences regarding the presence of bots.

AppWizard

July 25, 2025

Google faces new EU antitrust complaint over restrictions on removing pre-installed Android apps

A coalition of five digital rights and privacy organizations has filed a complaint against Google under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), alleging that the company restricts user autonomy on Android devices by making it difficult to remove or disable pre-installed applications like Google Search, Chrome, and Maps. The complaint claims that Google, designated as a ‘gatekeeper’ under the DMA, fails to comply with legal obligations to allow users to uninstall default services easily. Users reportedly face hidden settings, complicated instructions, and misleading warnings when trying to disable Google apps, which the coalition argues are designed to keep users reliant on Google's services. The European Commission has received the complaint and will review it as part of its enforcement process for the DMA, which allows for fines up to 10% of a company's global annual revenue and mandates changes in business practices for compliance.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

How Gaming Is Regulated On Android’s App Store

The Google Play Store offers millions of mobile games and enforces strict regulations to ensure user safety and legal compliance. These regulations cover content policies, monetization practices, data protection, technical requirements, and regional compliance. Games must adhere to content policies that prohibit hate speech, excessive violence, and misrepresentation, and must be rated by the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC). Monetization strategies require developers to use Google’s payment system for in-app purchases and disclose pricing and refund policies. Gambling games must have the necessary licenses and disclose odds for loot boxes. Data privacy guidelines mandate clear communication about data collection and user consent. Technical standards require games to function well across devices and be free from security threats. Google employs automated and manual reviews to enforce compliance, with consequences for violations ranging from warnings to permanent bans. Regional compliance is necessary, particularly in areas with strict regulations like China and the EU.

AppWizard

February 24, 2025

Android App on Google Play Targets Indian Users to Steal Login Credentials

A recently uncovered Android application, Finance Simplified (package: com.someca.count), is a malware platform disguised as a financial management tool for Indian users. It has rapidly gained downloads, increasing from 50,000 to 100,000 in one week. The app uses location-based targeting to present unauthorized loan applications and redirects users to external websites that bypass Google Play’s security. It requests extensive permissions, including access to location data, contacts, call logs, SMS messages, clipboard content, and external storage, and stealthily collects sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers, which are sent to a command-and-control server on Amazon EC2. The app employs tactics such as dynamic WebView manipulation to present fake loan applications, persistent data harvesting, and blackmail through altered user photos. Finance Simplified is part of a network of fraudulent apps that falsely claim registration with Indian financial regulators and have been removed from the Play Store for fraudulent activities. Users are advised to scrutinize app permissions and avoid downloading unverified applications.

Winsage

February 11, 2025

Microsoft gets rid of ‘Edge uninstall’ advice page after facing criticism over it having nothing to do with removing the app, and just promoting the browser instead

Microsoft recently retracted a controversial online document that appeared to help users uninstall the Edge browser, which was actually designed to persuade users to keep it. The document was discovered last week and faced negative backlash, leading to its removal. Users are now redirected to the Microsoft Edge portal, which promotes the browser without misleading implications about uninstallation. Additionally, there is no official method for most users outside of Europe to completely uninstall Edge from Windows 11 due to its integration with the operating system. Despite these promotional efforts, Edge has been recognized as a strong competitor in the browser market.