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Facepalm: Users are feeling the far-reaching consequences of the US ban on Kaspersky security software. The Russian company has been quietly "delisted" from the Android Play Store, with many encountering the change before any official announcement from Google.
Google recently confirmed that Kaspersky apps are no longer accepted in the Android ecosystem. The tech giant is apparently complying with a ban imposed by US authorities on the Russian company, but the abrupt removal of these apps could leave mobile users vulnerable to future security threats.
Some Android users discovered the removal a few days ago when searches for Kaspersky products in the Play Store yielded no results. Kaspersky acknowledged the issue, stating it was investigating the "circumstances" that made its apps unavailable in search results.
Google later confirmed that Kaspersky apps had been removed from the Android ecosystem following the US Department of Commerce's announcement of "various" business restrictions on the Russian security firm. Despite the ban having no legal effect outside the country, Google has effectively censored access to Kaspersky apps for both US and international users.
Kaspersky pointed out that Google's unilateral decision to remove its products from the Play Store ahead of September 29 has had a global impact. The company stated that Google has overinterpreted US restrictions, noting that Washington officials provided no specific guidance on the matter. Kaspersky emphasized that these restrictions do not explicitly prohibit the sale or distribution of its products and services outside the US.
While Kaspersky apps have been banned from the Play Store, they will continue to function and receive security updates through Google's platform. However, Kaspersky warned that their protection could be "limited" because the apps themselves can no longer be updated via Play. This means bug fixes and new features won't be available to all users, potentially leaving Android devices more vulnerable to emerging threats.
Despite this significant setback, Kaspersky is not abandoning the mobile market as it did with Windows PCs. The company is now offering specific instructions for downloading its security apps on both Android and iOS, including links to third-party stores and a direct APK download for Android devices. iPhone users can still access the apps through Apple's official Russian App Store.