It's back to the fake nose and wig as Google bans fake ID apps

You really can’t be surprised that there are Android apps claiming to help create fake IDs. After all, the Play Store has been home to many dodgy apps. However, Google has decided to crack down on this particular category.

In an update on its Developer Policy Center (and first seen by Android Police), the company explicitly calls out apps that claim to facilitate or generate these important documents.

“We don’t allow apps that help users to mislead others, including, but not limited to, apps that generate or facilitate the generation of ID cards, social security numbers, passports, diplomas, credit cards and driver’s licenses,” reads the updated policy.

Prank apps or those claiming to be “for entertainment purposes” aren’t exempt from the policy, Google adds.

The move to ban fake ID apps marks the latest attempt by Google to clean up the Play Store. A few months ago, the company revealed that it removed over 700,000 apps from the storefront for policy violations. The Mountain View company claimed that 99% of dodgy apps were removed before anyone had downloaded them.

The real question is whether Google will actively enforce the policy as right now a search for “fake ID” or “fake ID apps” brings up a ton of results (as seen in the screengrab above). It’s still early days though, so we’ll have to wait and see.

Up next: Apple App Store still making nearly twice as much money as Google Play Store