Google Play will soon require all developers to declare which apps or games are ad-supported
According to some changes making their way to Google Play’s terms of service, Google will now prominently display which apps and games are ad-supported. Previously only required for games that were apart of Google’s recently launched “Designed for Families” program, the email sent out to developers today states that all Android devs have until January 11th of 2016 to declare the status of ads in their apps via the Play Developer Console — kid friendly or not.
Developers who drag their feet won’t be able to update their apps/games until they do, with Google mentioning that they could also be independently verifying ad status themselves. The new ad-supported label will appear at the very top of the app’s listing on the Google Play Store, directly below the title. It’s a clear cut way to let users know what they’re getting themselves into, especially for protective parents that don’t want their kids potentially clicking a bunch of random ads.