Google says it’s working on a section in Play Store app listings, which will show users the data an app collects, shares and how that data is secured. The new privacy section is expected to roll out next year.
Google Play will be introducing a new policy to developers in Q3 2021. Starting in Q2 2022, all new app submissions and updates on Android Play Store will be required to include this information and a privacy policy, including Google’s own apps.
The announcement comes a few months after Apple App Store started showing privacy information for apps.
App developers will be required to describe the security practices like data encryption implemented in their app, if they follow Google’s Families policy, if users have a choice when it comes to sharing the data that the app is requesting and also if users will be able to request data deletion when uninstalling the app.
Developers will also have to highlight the type of data collected and stored by the app — location, contacts, media, other files and personal information — and how that data is used.
“Similar to app details like screenshots and descriptions, developers are responsible for the information disclosed in their section. If we find that a developer has misrepresented the data they’ve provided and is in violation of the policy, we will require the developer to fix it. Apps that don’t become compliant will be subject to policy enforcement,” Google announced.
Google will share details about the section, new policy requirements, and resources to guide developers with their apps and privacy policy in Q3 2021 to ensure that developers have enough time to implement them.
According to the roadmap for these changes, Developers will be able to start declaring the information in Google Play Console in Q4 2021 before they’re displayed to end-users starting Q1 2022.
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