Google Play Store rolling out government badges for affiliated apps

Google has seemingly begun rolling out official government badges for apps affiliated with or developed by government entities on the Play Store. This feature would provide increased transparency for users.

Government badges in the Google Play Store will help users easily identify apps with verified governmental affiliations. This aims to boost public trust and help distinguish official apps from potential copycats or imposter apps.

First spotted by AssembleDebug, according to the Google Play System Update changelog from January 2024, the feature will initially launch in 12 countries, with more regions to be included in the future. The tipster reported the badge appearance in Play Store version 39.7.34.

The latest version of the Play Store (39.7.34) isn’t yet live for our devices and thus we’ve not been able to confirm the availability of the badges on our end. This suggests a gradual rollout, starting with limited user testing before general availability.

It’s worth noting, the tipster did spot the feature in development back in December. So it seems Google is finally ready to bring government badges to the forefront in the Play Store.

It’s anticipated that Google will release an official announcement with more details regarding the government badges soon. This announcement may clarify which government entities qualify for the badge, the verification process, and the exact timeline for a broader rollout across countries and devices.