The Chrome Web Store is plagued by developers using search-manipulating techniques, against the policy set by Google. By abusing a language translation feature, developers are able to hide over 18,000 keywords in descriptions, resulting in misleading search results. Some extensions even go as far as to use competitors’ names or list unrelated keywords. Despite being brought to Google’s attention, these manipulations persist, suggesting a lack of monitoring or care from Google. This controversial issue was uncovered by security and privacy researcher Wladimir Palant, shedding light on the dark side of the Chrome Web Store.
https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/01/googles-chrome-web-store-has-a-serious-spam-problem-promoting-shady-extensions/