Google requests privacy policy for Play store apps

Google announced on Wednesday that Android developers will be required to include a privacy policy with their apps starting April 2022.

This request is not new, as the Big Tech revealed earlier in May that developers must declare their safety information within a deadline between October and April.

However, Google decided this week to provide more details on the kind of data developers need to provide for the new mandatory policy.

The app policies will allow users to view safety and privacy guidelines before downloading the app, which will let them understand how their data is collected, protected, and used in advance.

The mandatory privacy policy covers all apps, including those that don’t collect personal or sensitive user data. Which is a new feature since previously only apps that collected personal information had to disclose their policies on the Play store.

The safety section on the Play Store will require app developers to disclose their security practices, including information on data encryption, whether an app follows Google’s families policy, and whether users will have a choice to share data.

The safety section is currently due to start appearing in app descriptions in the first quarter of 2022.

Google in a blog post disclosed screenshots of what the safety section might look like. Yet, the company said that the design is subject to change.

There’s also a “see details” option to get more specifics on what collected data is used for, and whether the collection is essential for using the app.

The company highlighted that all apps including Google’s own will be required to provide a privacy policy.

It’s worth mentioning that Apple has required a privacy policy for apps in the App Store since 2018.