In a move to offer users greater clarity and control over their in-app data, Google has announced a new Play Store rule for apps. The move directs app developers to add a “readily discoverable option” for deleting the account.
Google in a blog post announced that the new web requirement should be linked to the app’s Data safety form so that users can request data and account deletion without re-installing the app.
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“While Play’s Data safety section already lets developers highlight their data deletion options, we know that users want an easier and more consistent way to request them. By creating a more intuitive experience with this policy, we hope to better educate our shared users on the data controls available to them and create greater trust in your apps and in Google Play more broadly,” Google writes on its blog post for developers.
The feature will let users delete all their in-app content along with the account they signed up with without re-downloading the app. This is a welcome move for Google users who require to re-download the app in case they deleted the app before requesting for account deletion.
The new Play Store policy is also expected to offer more flexibility to users who may not want to delete their account completely. These users can choose to delete other data only where applicable. While the new Play Store rule applies to all apps in Play Store and seemingly aims to ensure better data protection of users, there’s a loophole in the policy which should be taken note of. Google says that the developers have to delete users’ data along with their account unless they have “legitimate reasons” to hold back the data.
Google, which is taking the shift slowly and gradually, as a first step, has asked developers to add more details on their data deletion practices by December 7. These answers have to be submitted through Google’s existing data safety form. Google says that users will be able to see how an app handles account and data deletion “early next year” while developers will be able to file for an extension until May 31, 2024.
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