Google Play Store will now tell you how apps are using your data

Google had announced a new Safety section on Google Play about a year ago and had mentioned then that the focus was to improve transparency about how apps collect and process your data. It sounds familiar, as it rightly should, because Apple has already been doing this with Privacy Labels on the App Store. 

Google Play’s Safety section will be providing an overview of what data your apps are collecting and sharing. It will also tell you if that data is secured and also give you additional details regarding anything that can impact your device’s privacy and security.  

The new section is going to roll out to all users over the next few weeks and all developers have been given time till June 20 to submit their data safety section. 

“Apps should help users explore the world, connect with loved ones, do work, learn something new, and more without compromising user safety. The new Data safety section, in addition to Google Play’s existing safety features, gives people the visibility and control they need to enjoy their apps,” Google explained. 

Specifically, the Safety section on the Play Store will be highlighting features like - whether a developer is collecting data and why, whether the developer is sharing the collected data with third parties, the app’s security practices (like encryption of data in transit and if users can request for their data to be deleted), etc. The section will also mention if the app has committed to follow Google Play’s Families Policy that works to protect children on the Play Store, and also if the developer has validated their security practices against a global security standard (MASVS). 

Much like screenshots and descriptions of the app, developers are responsible for the information that is disclosed in their app’s Safety section and also about how accurate it is. If data misrepresentation is detected from the developers’ end, it will be treated as a Google Play policy violation and the app may be taken off the Play Store if it does not properly or accurately disclose what data it collects and what it does with it. Google’s own apps are also going to be subjected to the same policy. 

Users will also be able to see what data collection is mandatory and what is optional under this section for the apps. 

“We’ve also worked hard to give users control of installed apps through simple permissions features. For example, when an app asks to access “your location”, users can quickly and easily decide whether they want to grant that permission - for one time use, only while using the app, or all the time. For sensitive permissions like camera, microphone, or location data, people can go to the Android Privacy dashboard to review data access by apps,” Google said. 

App developers need to fill out the Data safety form from the App content section on the Google Play Console. Apps that collect no data also have to do this. Additionally, developers will have to add a privacy policy to their apps. 

Also Read: Google Play Store will soon stop showing outdated apps to Android users

Also Read: Google banning all call recording apps from Play store starting May 11