Regulators from all around the world have been looking into Apple’s App Store practices for years now due to allegations of monopolization, issues with the tech giant’s in-app payment system, etc. Today, Apple published a press release highlighting its efforts to stop $1.5 billion in fraudulent App Store transactions in 2021.
Apple prevented 1.6 million “risky” and “untrustworthy” apps and updates from defrauding users on App Store in 2021
In the press release, the tech giant showcased a new fraud analysis of its digital marketplace over the course of 2021. Apple went on to say that its efforts to prevent and reduce fraud on the App Store require “continuous monitoring and vigilance across multiple teams.”
In 2021, Apple protected customers from nearly $1.5 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions, and stopped over 1.6 million risky and vulnerable apps and app updates from defrauding users.
Apple’s efforts to prevent and reduce fraud on the App Store require continuous monitoring and vigilance across multiple teams. From App Review to Discovery Fraud, Apple’s ongoing commitment to protect users from fraudulent app activity demonstrates once again why independent, respected security experts have said the App Store is the safest place to find and download apps.
The new research also highlights how many apps Apple reject in 2021 to protect the user experience on the platform. Last year, the App Review team rejected more than 34,500 apps for containing hidden features and it rejected more than 157,000 apps that could be categorized as spam, copycats, or misleading.
It also notes that 802,000 developer accounts were terminated in 2021 while 153,000 developer enrollments were rejected over concerns of fraud. This, in turn, prevented unfit candidates from submitting an app to the digital marketplace.
In 2021, Apple also found and blocked over 63,500 illegitimate apps on pirate storefronts. In the past month alone, the tech giant blocked more than 3.3 million instances of apps distributed illegitimately through its Enterprise Developer Program, which is meant to allow large organizations to develop and distribute their own apps privately.
Apple also revealed how it tackled untrustworthy ratings and reviews over the course of 2021. The company uses a “refined system that combines technology and human review by expert teams,” to moderate reviews and ratings.
With more than 1 billion ratings and reviews processed throughout 2021, Apple systematically detected and blocked over 94 million reviews and over 170 million ratings from publication for failing to meet moderation standards. An additional 610,000 reviews were also removed after publication based on customer concern submissions and additional human evaluation.
Despite the tech giant’s best efforts to curb fraudulent apps and transactions, there are still a ton of developers who take advantage of consumers. But, it is nice to see Apple chipping away at the issue.
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