Google’s adding app permissions section to Play Store
Google says it’s rolling back its determination to remove a section from the Play Store that listed which permissions an app uses.
The business had more or less replaced that info with its Data Safety section, which is supposed to give you an idea of what data apps are gathering and how that data is used.
Several commentators pointed out that the problem is that the information in the Data Safety section came from developers, whereas Google generated the app permissions section. By removing it, Google made it impossible for users to do a quick fact-check by comparing the two areas or to use both info to get a complete picture of what an app is up to and what it has access to.
In a Twitter thread on Thursday spotted by Android Police, Google says the app permissions section will return soon and that it decided to bring it back because of user feedback. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, I couldn’t see it on my device, but when the section returns, it should be available along with the Data Safety section.
Google’s Data Safety section, which it announced in May 2021 and started rolling out in April this year, is similar to Apple’s privacy labels. Developers have to tell Google what they do with users’ data (such as whether it’s shared with third parties and what kind of data the app collects) and provide other info, like whether users can ask that their data be deleted and if the data is encrypted.
While Google says that only developers know those details, it will take action against an app if it finds inaccuracies in the Data Safety info.
Google declared that the Play Store was getting a “Data safety” section last May, and it’s now beginning to roll out after a brief delay. The new unit will be available over the coming weeks, and full developer adoption is set for July.
Android apps in the Play Store must list (“Collected Data”) what data is being stored and for what purpose. Users can “see whether the app needs this data to serve or if this data collection is optional.”
Developers also have to identify (“Data shared”) whether that information is being communicated with third parties, as well as the security/handling procedures (e.g., in-transit data encryption) of their applications and whether end users can readily ask for their data to be deleted.
Other information that can occur in the section includes:
- Whether a qualifying app has committed to following Google Play’s Families Policy to protect children in the Play Store better
- Whether the creator has validated their security practices against a global security standard (more precisely, the MASVS)
Google Play Store Data Safety
Data types shield Location (approximate or precise), Personal info (name, address, email, phone number, etc.), Financial info (buying history, credit score, etc.), Health and fitness, Messages (emails, SMS/MMS), Phones and videos, Files and Docs, Audio files, Calendar, Contacts, App activity (interactions, installed apps, in-app search history), Web browsing, App info and performance (diagnostics, crash logs), and Device or other IDs.
General purposes contain App functionality; Analytics; Fraud prevention, security, and compliance; Developer communications; Advertising or marketing; Personalization; and Account management. The Data safety section within Play Store app listings is starting to roll out today. It will fully appear over the coming weeks.
Developers had until July 20, 2022, to document this information in the Play Console. As such, not all applications will necessarily have this data when the new page rolls out to your device.