The badges denote safe, well-maintained extensions.

A variety of different Google Chrome extensions are offered through Google’s Chrome Web Store. However, the majority of these extensions are not created by Google themselves, and much like apps on an open app store, some of these extensions can be poorly maintained or even outright hazardous to security. In an effort to direct users away from potentially hazardous extensions, Google has added a pair of new badges to the Chrome Web Store.

To help you find great extensions, we’re placing Featured and Established Publisher badges next to those that meet certain criteria.

Learn more about the two types of badges, now live on the Chrome Web Store: https://t.co/2YflvUU6se pic.twitter.com/rMlAO48euj

— Chrome (@googlechrome) April 20, 2022

The first badge, Featured, denotes extensions that, in Google’s words on a blog post, “follow our technical best practices and meet a high standard of user experience and design.” In other words, the extension must be well-designed and well-maintained, using the most up-to-date APIs available and not making any overtly suspicious or malicious demands of users.

The second badge, Established Publishers, is for extension publishers rather than extensions themselves. Specifically, it’s for publishers “who have verified their identity and demonstrated compliance with the developer program policies.” Publishers with this badge have demonstrated consistent positive ratings and reports both externally and internally, and haven’t racked up any major policy violations. New publishers to the platform will need to work for a few months before they can receive this badge.

Google #Chrome got a new badge to let you know how safe the Chrome extension is. pic.twitter.com/fh6KUdVR3f

— Saadh Jawwadh (@SaadhJawwadh) April 20, 2022

Google has clarified that neither of these badges can be obtained through any outside method such as payments, and hope that users will see them as a sign of quality and safety.