Google bans Android apps that sneak in ads on your phone's lockscreen

One of the disadvantages of Android being an open operating system is that app developers can pretty much mess with the core experience in any way they want. Like inject ads that show up on your phone's lock screen.

Nobody really wants that, which is why Google's now banned apps that try to sneak in ads onto your lockscreen from the Play Store.

Android Police noticed the change in Google's Developer Policy Center, which details what types of appropriate apps can be included within Android apps and how they may appear.

Under a new section called "Lockscreen Monetization," Google now states:

Unless the exclusive purpose of the app is that of a lockscreen, apps may not introduce ads or features that monetize the locked display of a device.

This much-needed cleansing will force developers to stop shoehorning ads into their apps via the lockscreen.

As Android Police clearly notes, apps like ES File Explorer and Hotspot Shield VPN -- two popular utility apps -- will no longer be able to display ads on your lockscreen with the intention of trying to get users to click them.

This shady practice has been an ongoing issue for a growing number of Android apps as developers try to essentially trick users into clicking the ads, which are often unrelated to the app itself.

Oftentimes, these ads are easily ignorable, but accidental clicks are not only obtrusive, but could potentially be exploited to bring you to a website that could phish your personal information.

This new policy change is great for all Android users and should also improve security, but won't affect users who have phones that come with Amazon special offers. Those phones will continue to have ads displayed on the lockscreen since they're considered a lockscreen app.