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Google has issued an urgent warning to millions of Android users after the company banned one of the most popular apps from its online store. Following concerns over malware and data safety, the US-based company has urged users who have downloaded the popular shopping app to uninstall it from their devices immediately. The technology giant has discovered security vulnerabilities in Pinduoduo, a popular Chinese shopping app.

Some versions of the budget retail service, which was used by 900 million people, have been found to contain malicious software that could potentially put the users’ data at risk.

In a statement, a Google spokesperson announced the ban saying: “We have suspended the Play version of the app for security concerns while we continue our investigation.”

Aside from blocking the app on the Play store, Google’s Play Protect security service is also preventing any users from installing the app and has also sent alerts to those who already have the software, urging them to delete it immediately.

Following this crackdown, the makers of Pinduoduo confirmed that their service had been suspended from the Play Store because the current version of the app was “not compliant with Google’s Policy.”

A spokesperson for the Chinese retailer said: “We are communicating with Google for more information. We have been told that there are several other apps that have been suspended as well.

“We strongly reject the speculation and accusation that the Pinduoduo app is malicious just from a generic and non-conclusive response from Google.”

If you have this app on your Android device, Google is urging you to uninstall it without delay.

Given how popular the app is, the company is likely to fix the malware, and the site will probably return to the Play Store once Google feels that the developers have adequately guaranteed the safety of its millions of users.

Phone security: How hackers can obtain private information

How to delete apps that you have installed

• Open the Google Play Store app .

• At the top right, tap the profile icon.

• Tap Manage apps and devices. Manage.

• Tap the name of the app that you want to delete.

• Tap Uninstall.

This comes as TikTok, another hugely popular has been banned from Government phones amid mounting security fears over the Chinese video-sharing app.

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