Responding to a study that found nearly 60 per cent of free Andorid apps used by children potentially violate a federal law, Google has said that it will take action if company's policies are violated.
"If we determine that an app violates our policies, we will take action. We always appreciate the research community's work to help make the Android ecosystem safer," technology news website Tom's Guide quoted a Google spokesperson as saying.
Google responded to a study by the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California, that found 57 per cent of the 5,855 Android apps used by children and families are potentially in violation of a federal law designed to protect the privacy of kids under 13-years-old.
The report said that these apps could be illegally monitoring children's behaviour online.
The federal law, 1998's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), mandates privacy and consent requirements for website operators catering to children under 13.
"We are taking the researchers' report very seriously and looking into their findings. Protecting kids and families is a top priority and our Designed for Families programme requires developers to abide by specific requirements above and beyond our standard Google Play policies," the spokesperson added.
The study further found that 92 per cent of the 1,280 Android apps that utilise Facebook's application programming interface (API) are potentially in violation of COPPA.
The decision comes at a time when Facebook is embroiled in a scandal after reports that British data firm Cambridge Analytica had improperly gathered detailed Facebook information on 87 million users.
Last week Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before the US Congress over his company's handling of user data.
87 killed, over 80 injured as heavy rains wreak havoc in Pakistan
At least 87 people have been killed and 82 others injured in separate rain-triggered incidents in Pakistan over the past week as heavy downpours continued to wreak havoc in parts of the country, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.
Congress, INDIA bloc against development & farmers: PM Modi says in Maharashtra
Criticising the Congress and the INDIA bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the unwavering faith of the people in 'Modi's Guarantee' is giving sleepless nights to the Opposition alliance leaders.
Israel attacks Iran's Isfahan town
It comes few days after Iran had attacked Israel in response to an alleged attack on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus leading to the killing of seven top officers of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps including General Mohammed Reza Zahedi.
Bitcoin scam case: ED attaches assets worth over Rs 97 cr of Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty
The attached properties include a residential flat in Juhu, which is in the name of Shilpa Shetty, another residential bungalow in Pune and equity shares in Raj Kundra's name.
NASA head Nelson says China hiding military presence in space
The chief of US space agency NASA has told lawmakers in Washington that China is using civilian programmes to hide military objectives in space.
Google sacks 28 employees involved in protests over Israel govt contract
Tech giant Google has laid off 28 employees who were involved in sit-in protests at its offices over a Google contract with the Israeli government.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.
Indian American selected among 12 NASA astronaut candidates
He continued on to earn a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from the US Naval Test Pilot School.