The search giant has just updated its content policy website

Mar 2, 2016 11:04 GMT  ·  By

Google recently updated its content policy update for the Play Store and clarified one of the most controversial aspects while at it.

The search giant clearly states in the new policy rules that it is not alright for an application to block or interfere with another app displaying adds.

There has been much talk around Google's ban on ad blockers in the Play store, as the company did not have a clear stance on the subject.

Devs of those apps found interfering with third-party apps or services displaying ads usually received a letter that informed them that their creations are against the company's distribution agreement.

But not anymore as Google updated section 4.4 of the old distribution agreement that goes back almost three years. Here is an example of what your apps should not do if you want it to be accepted in the Google Play Store:

“Apps that block or interfere with another app displaying ads. Game cheating apps that affect the gameplay of other apps. Apps that facilitate or provide instructions on how to hack services, software or hardware, or circumvent security protections. Apps that access or use a service or API in a manner that violates its terms of service. Apps that attempt to bypass system power management that are not eligible for whitelisting.”

We're still in a gray area, but improvements have been made

However, Google has decided that in-browser ad blockers are quite alright, so Android users will still be able to download apps like Adblock Fast, Adblock Browser, and Brave Browser.

In-browser ad blocking has been allowed on iOS platform for quite some time, so banning these apps that facilitate this function would have put Google in an awkward position, especially that a big chunk of the company's revenue comes from web ads.

Since in-browser ad blockers are so popular among Android users, it would have hurt Google more to ban rather than allow them in the Play Store.