Google has announced a major change to its Play Store Policies. The company has introduced a new Data Deletion Policy that aims to empower users with greater clarity and control over their in-app data. It also aims to help developers build consumer trust by showcasing their apps’ privacy and security practices in an easy way.
“For apps that enable app account creation, developers will soon need to provide an option to initiate account and data deletion from within the app and online,” Google wrote in a blogpost.
Simply said, when the new policies come into effect, apps, especially the ones that require users to create an account and sign in, will have to provide an easy way to users to delete all of their data. The company says that the new policy is particularly important as it will enable a user to request account and data deletion without having to reinstall an app.
“The feature also gives developers a way to provide more choice: users who may not want to delete their account entirely can choose to delete other data only where applicable (such as activity history, images, or videos),” the company added.
In addition to giving users more control over their data, this policy also gives developers more flexibility to retain certain data points that they might need for regulatory purposes. “For developers that need to retain certain data for legitimate reasons such as security, fraud prevention, or regulatory compliance, you must clearly disclose those data retention practices,” Google said.
When will this policy come into effect?
It is worth noting that Google is not implementing this new Play Store policy right away. Instead, it is giving developers ample time to make the changes within the app and elsewhere. The tech giant, in its blog post, said that creators have until December 7, 2023, to answer questions about data deletion in their app’s safety form. Google Play users will begin to see reflected changes in their app’s store listing in early 2024.
On the other hand, developers who need more time can file for an extension in Play Console until May 31, 2024, to comply with the new policy.