Google Will Require All Apps on the Play Store to Have a Privacy Policy Starting in April 2022

Earlier this spring , Google announced thedevelopment of a new safety division come to the maneuver Store next twelvemonth , and today Google is now following up with more detail on the kind of information apps will be required to supply include raw mandatory privacy policy .

Google tell that by herald guidelines for its safety segment now , Google hopes app developer will have enough time to reply to coming change before the safety incision formally move live in Q1 2022 . And while Google is still figuring out the final pattern of the safety department , it has also provided some early mock - ups of what it might reckon like ahead of its arrival next year .

Because Google ’s new safety section is designate to more intelligibly offer info about a specific app ’s privacy and security department , thing like how your data is being used and accessed will want to be clearly listed along with information on whether data collection is need for an app to study or not . moreover , all of this info is expected to be available on every app lean in the Play Store , so users can get a mother wit of an app ’s privacy and security measure before they install it .

Photo: Sam Rutherford

But most importantly , starting next twelvemonth in April 2022 , Google allege “ All developers must provide a privacy insurance , ” including both third - party apps and first - party apps from Google . For app developers , Google says it will set out accepting information for an app ’s safety section starting in October , with the terminal deadline set for Q2 2022 .

For devs that are n’t capable to ply an approved security section in time , Google enounce any Modern apps or app updates from that dev may get rejected , with the base hit subdivision for non - compliant apps set to display a line saying “ No information useable . ” That mean when the Play Store ’s safety plane section finally come , it should be quite clear which apps were able to provide a fleshed - out refuge section and which apps did not . Previously , seclusion policies were only required for family - friendly apps in the Play Store .

But , clear , the self-aggrandising picture is that with an increase focal point on digital privacy and security , Google is hoping to make it easygoing to see and understand how your data is being used across all your apps , which is a change that should be good for both regular folk and developers alike .

Here’s an early sample from Google of what an app’s safety section might look like.