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How Google Is Planning to Remove Apps With No Privacy Policies From The Play Store

Millions of Apps are getting developed by the app development companies, trying to grab attention of the users, as they are showcased in the Google Play Store, trying to hold on to the coveted position. If you are guaranteed of a place in the App Store, then only it will catch the attention of the users who are constantly seeking for a suitable app, downloading them and then abandoning them, somewhere midway, if the features and functionalities are not as per their liking.

The privacy policies from Google are about to be toughened for the Google Play Store platform for the Android operating system. Google has absolutely decided to put its foot down.

Information provided to the Android Developers

Google states that the apps that are developed by the Android developers in the Google Play Store must develop a standard policy with regards to the privacy of the apps. Otherwise there are higher probabilities that it will simply remove the apps from the tech giant’s prestigious App Store. Privacy policies and agreement of disclosures are absolutely mandatory for the app developers who are accessing the users for the most sensitive data from the users. So, top charting applications aiming for App Store as well as Google Play Store need to follow these rules.

Google has its own User Data Policy and failure to comply with these policies means that the developer is neglecting that very policy from Google.

Emails that were Sent to the Developers

The apps that were concerned were flagged, letting the developers know about the change in policies and how their apps will be treated henceforth by the Play Store management, under the circumstances of their app failing to act in the way wanted, on a timely manner. It also stated what was to be considered as sensitive information such as:

Data from the phone’s microphone

Data like the content associated with the camera of the phone

Data pertaining to the user’s phone and phone plan, including data traffic

Scanning and analyzing user’s accounts and contacts

Google tried to help the app developers in understanding what constitutes of personal data in its parlance, so as to let them continue to operate on the platform from Google.

Moreover, a proof of privacy policy appears in Google Play Store Page and also within the app. The privacy policy must contain specific information on how the app is going to access, analyze and use the private data from the user’s phone. Google also needs that the Android developers must link to the location where the privacy policies reside. The time given is till 15th of March.

Consequence of non-Compliance

If the developer happens to ignore the warning from Google, then there are dire consequences to be faced. There can be limited penalizing like that of limited visibility on the App Store or it can go up to a severe type of penalizing, that is to completely remove these apps. The defiant developers that they are on wrong side of betting for their app’s success.

Appinventiv, is a mobile app development company which has established itself as a leading brand, within a short span of time. It develops user-centric apps based on latest technologies like that of Wearables, IoT and Beacons.

The Article is Originally Published here

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Eliza Scott .