"Very few users are in a position to audit what a . Reading code, inspecting traffic or evaluating a security assessment is out of reach for most people. Privacy policies are long and often written to protect the company more than to inform the user. In practice, this leaves visible cues such as badges, rankings and reviews doing most of the work."
"A badge issued by Google carries special weight as it comes from the platform itself, instead of marketing claims from the VPN company. That really matters when the product being chosen is supposed to provide protection, and that's exactly why trust signals matter most when users can't realistically verify things on their own. The trouble is that verification often sounds broader and more final than it really is,"
"To earn the Google verified badge, VPNs must complete a Mobile Application Security Assessment, or MASA, at Level 2. This means the app undergoes a formal assessment and must meet the minimum Google security and privacy standards. A VPN needs at least 10,000 installs, a few hundred reviews and a track record on the Play Store before it can even be considered."
Google's 'verified' badge on Google Play indicates a VPN has completed a Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA) at Level 2 and met Play Store thresholds such as at least 10,000 installs and several hundred reviews. Many users rely on visible trust signals like badges, rankings and reviews because auditing code, traffic or assessments is beyond most people's capabilities. The Google badge comes from the platform rather than the VPN vendor, giving it extra weight. The badge reflects adherence to minimum Google security and privacy standards but does not represent a comprehensive audit or a guarantee of future behavior.
Read at CNET
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