Google: Android Apps Must Provide Privacy Information By April 2022

Some days back Google has announced that the company is about to launch its Google Play ‘Safety Section’ feature that will provide information regarding the data collected and used by an Android app. Now Google has announced more details about the upcoming feature. 

Under the new policy app developers have to share the details — what information apps collect, how collected data is used, and what privacy/security features the apps utilize. The upcoming feature can be used in the first quarter of 2022, this feature will display on the app itself. 

With the feature, customers will be able to see all security-privacy relating information including what data is shared with third parties, whether an app uses data encryption, follows Google’s Families policies, or whether it has been independently audited against global security standards. Following the announcement, Google will also provide the timeline to App developers — when they will be able to submit information, and when customers can see the Safety section, and it has also given the deadline for App developers to provide the info data. 

What is the timeline for App Developers? 

According to Google, the policy will take place in the first week of October 2021, the “App privacy & security” will display on an app’s content page on Play Console. Then Developers will be able to attempt a questionnaire on data collection, security features, and the app’s privacy policy. However, the whole procedure will complete in April 2022. 

What must be disclosed under this feature? 

• Encryption in transit 

• Deletion mechanism 

• Families policy 

• Independent security review and How data collected 

Some of the data types that app developers must disclose include personal information like user name, phone number, and email address, location data like users’ approximate or precise location, financial info like user credit card number and bank account number, Health and fitness information, Storage like files and docs, emails or texts, audio files like sound recordings and music files, calendar information, App performance like crash logs and performance diagnostics, and Identifiers like device id.