Quote:Google has begun removing a plethora of apps from the Google Play store belonging to a major developer following an investigation into the apps and their widespread ad fraud practices.
 
A BuzzFeed News investigation uncovered these illicit practices, conducted by Chinese app developer DO Global, which is in part owned by tech giant Baidu.

The publication found that a minimum of six mobile applications offered by DO Global were deploying adware which enforced click-fraud even when users were not actively present in the app. 
 
Click fraud is often embedded in apps and online services to generate clicks fraudulently in order to receive payouts by advertising networks. 
The apps in question were posted under generic publisher names and did not disclose they were owned by DO Global, which is in itself a violation of Google Play policies.