Google Play adds new Policies to Help Users with Data Control
In a day and age where online privacy is often a major topic of concern, a lot of internet users with constant web access have become more aware of the risks of being “more visible” online, especially since most people nowadays are connected via their mobile phones.
With that in mind, Google has introduced a new set of guidelines in Google Play, which the company says will be geared towards “helping developers improve consumer trust through better privacy and security transparency.” To be more specific, this pertains to a new data deletion policy which Google describes as a means to give users better clarity and control over their in-app data.
For example, apps that will need app creation will require developers to provide an option that will initiate account data deletion from within the app and via online, without requiring users to reinstall apps. Users who might not want to delete their account entirely can choose to delete specific data such as activity history, images, or videos, for example.
With all that being said, Google is requiring developers to submit answers to new Data deletion questions in their app’s Data Safety form by December 7. By next year, Google Play users should begin to see reflected changes in an app’s store listing, including the refreshed data deletion badge in the Data safety section and the new Data deletion area.
Google adds that Developers who need more time can file for an extension in Play Console until May 31, 2024 to comply with the new policy.
Source: Google