Welcome to Ask Jerry, where we discuss all the questions you might have about smart things in life. I’m Jerry, and I’ve been around technology most of my life. I have an engineering and R&D background and have been focusing on Android and Google for the past 15 years.
Ask Jerry
Ask Jerry is a column where we answer your tough Android/tech questions with the help of Android Central’s longtime editor Jerry Hildenbrand.
I’m also really good at digging into all things data – it’s a big part of our job here at Android Central – and I love helping people (another big part of our job!). If you have questions about technology, I’d be happy to discuss it with you.
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What can I do about malware?
Anonymous wrote:
I know it’s unlikely, but do you know how to remove malware from the Google Play Store from my Android phone?
Thanks.
Hello Arnold! I like this question because it’s about a very confusing topic. I’m sure a lot of people are wondering similar things because of the way the word malware is used.
I’m guilty of doing that too, so I won’t judge or anything. I’m just saying that malware isn’t necessarily what you think it is.
First thing to do – delete it. You said it came from the Play Store, so you could probably do nothing and it would delete itself. Google uses something called Play Protect, a malware scanner that’s good at detecting malware and can alert you or even uninstall it for you.
If you don’t want to wait, or Play Protect hasn’t discovered the problem yet, you can uninstall it like any other app from Google Play:
- Open your phone’s settings.
- Find the Applications section. Open it and find the link to “All Apps” and click on it.
- You will find the app in the list, click on it and it will open a page where you can uninstall it.
With the problematic apps out of the way, let’s talk more about malware.
What is malware?
The Oxford Dictionary defines malware as “software specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.” But everyone seems to have a different opinion. Malware can affect even the best Android phones.
To me, malware is the name given to a computer program (your phone is a computer) that does more than it is supposed to do – usually things we don’t do think It has to be done. Many people who write about technology for a living have similar definitions. Others view malware more like Oxford University.
This overly broad interpretation means that the word is used widely and everyone who uses it has a different understanding of what it means. That’s fine, but confusing because you might read people like me calling it app malware, but Google doesn’t consider it malware.
Google has specific rules for apps and their permissions, and as long as an app follows these rules, it can remain on the Play Store.
An example would be an app that collects and shares data, but only after we agree that it can collect and share the data. As long as we give permission—clicking “yes” without reading the terms and conditions—the app is doing nothing wrong as far as Google is concerned.
Others may refer to applications that collect unwanted data as “malware.” I call it malware. In this case, Google won’t do that because the app is doing what it promises.
What really matters is your thoughts. It’s easy to uninstall apps unless the company that makes your phone puts them into the operating system, but it’s not easy to take the time to read what you’re installing. Some developers know that when you install an app, you’re not going to read 10 pages of text and expect you to click “agree,” so they might act a little shady.
Best way to fight malware? Keep your phone’s software up to date, don’t install apps from untrusted places, and read reviews and terms and conditions of apps.