The Google Play Store has had information about how app developers will use your personal data to drive and improve the experience for some time now. With the introduction of this however, it was never very detailed. Luckily, all of that is changing now that this feature is being developed in what’s called the “Data Security Section.”
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Download apps and games with confidence by scrolling down the “Shared Data” section of any app and examining exactly what you’re exchanging to use it. This is currently live in the store, and developers will need to complete this section for their apps by July 20, 2022.
Giving users more visibility into how apps collect, share, and secure their data through the Data Security section is just one of the ways we keep users and the Android ecosystem safe.
The key word
Below is a list of information developers will display in the Data Security section of their app’s listing. You will notice that this now includes some essential additions like validation of global security standards, whether a user can request deletion of their data, etc. I think that’s super cool!
- If the developer collects data and for what purpose.
- If the developer shares data with third parties.
- The app’s security practices, such as encryption of data in transit and whether users can request deletion of data.
- If an eligible app has committed to Google Play’s Family Policy to better protect children in the Play Store.
- Whether the developer has validated its security practices against a global security standard (specifically, the MASVS).
In modern versions of Android, users can already give or take permissions for camera, microphone, storage, etc. of their device at will and by application. So these latest additions are a welcome change for all of us. Let me know in the comments whether or not you check out the Data Security section of a list before installing your next app or game. Likewise, I’d like to know whether or not you think your favorite apps and games require too much information now that all their practices will be visible to the public.
