Google closes Facebook's loophole, bans non-Play Store app updates


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After Facebook was found to be updating its Android app without using the Google Play store's update mechanisms, Google has clarified its terms and conditions to ensure no other developers attempt to circumvent its store. While Google has always outlawed "applications that cause users to unknowingly download or install applications from sources outside of Google Play," it's added a new sentence to its "Dangerous Products" section.

"An app downloaded from Google Play may not modify, replace or update its own APK binary code using any method other than Google Play's update mechanism.

Google's new phrasing leaves little room for interpretation. Facebook's justification for its update policy was that it was only pushing the updates to users that allowed non-Play Store downloads to their phones, and it was informing them that the update was available. That worked under the old terms and conditions, but it's clear that Facebook will now have to stop its experiment of pushing new features to users that allow installations from unknown sources.

http://www.theverge....roid-app-update

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I've had other apps have an auto-update mechanism that doesn't use the Play Store as well. I actually am in favor of this - I like to be able to control the updates via Play Store (have it set to not auto-update apps).

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Typical Facebook. Glad to see Google putting a stop to it.

Edit: The_Decryptor, yeah, when you put it like that... this was kind of behaving like a virus, wasn't it? :laugh:

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Typical Facebook. Glad to see Google putting a stop to it.

Edit: The_Decryptor, yeah, when you put it like that... this was kind of behaving like a virus, wasn't it? :laugh:

Google Chrome and Firefox both auto-update on Windows :p (not exactly valid comparison but somewhat still)

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there are actually a lot of apps that do this other than Facebook that you can find on the Play store.

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FB nly did the updates for people who allowed sideloaded apps though. why, I dunno... guess it allowed them to rollout to those users faster.

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Sounds good, applications shouldn't have the ability to modify themselves, that should be something the system manages.

I agree with you on that, it is really annoying that the developers can do that.

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Google Chrome and Firefox both auto-update on Windows :p (not exactly valid comparison but somewhat still)

Yeah it's not, because they were not installed from a unified app store.

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Yeah it's not, because they were not installed from a unified app store.

The general idea applies here to. it's only supposed to be for those who sideload it, the problem is that they use the "allow uncertified app installs" settings as the switch. so you could installed FB through the app store, but allow sideloaded apps, and the FB app would think it was sideloaded and do it's own updates.

so it's the same general idea actually.

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I don't truly trust any of them. Everyone would be wise not to.

I dont trust anyone with my personal data either. That says secure at my home. There are certain things I dont care if I put online tho. Not telling what the company will do with your data, or if they will get hacked and my data exposed.

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