Google Launches Privacy Labels for Google Play Apps

Google today followed in Apple's footsteps and launched a version of privacy labels for its own apps, with the aim of providing Google Play users with more information about the data that the apps they download are collecting.

google app safety
First announced back in May 2021, Google's "Data safety" section will require developers to provide information about how their apps collect, share, and secure user data. Developers will need to offer up the following data:

  • Whether the developer is collecting data and for what purpose.
  • Whether the developer is sharing data with third parties.
  • The app's security practices, like encryption of data in transit and whether users can ask for data to be deleted.
  • Whether a qualifying app has committed to following Google Play's Families Policy to better protect children in the Play store.
  • Whether the developer has validated their security practices against a global security standard (more specifically, the MASVS).

Users will be able to determine whether the app needs the data to function or if the data collection is an optional feature that can be turned off.

Google says that Data safety information will be available starting today, and all developers will be required to complete this section for their apps by July 20.

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
26 months ago
Nice try and good move by Google. But It's too bad. I still don't trust Google.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
26 months ago

I don't agree with all of Apple's policies but one thing is true: Apple's competitors tend to copy what Apple does. Removing the headphone jack, removing the charger in the box. This is one good thing that has come from that... privacy labels can be helpful to users.
And vice versa. All companies copy each other, and that's a good thing. Competition drives innovation.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aforty Avatar
26 months ago
Welcome to the club Google. I'll still try to use as little of your "products" as possible.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NoelWalker Avatar
26 months ago
What’s next? Pixel with lightning?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tedwill Avatar
26 months ago
The fox telling the chickens that he has their back.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
26 months ago
Copycat… but a good move in the right direction. But can we start trusting you Google? Don’t know…
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven

Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

Sunday April 21, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future. Kosutami has revealed...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads

Tuesday April 23, 2024 7:11 am PDT by
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Apple Vision Pro Dual Loop Band Orange Feature 2

Apple Cuts Vision Pro Shipments as Demand Falls 'Sharply Beyond Expectations'

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:44 am PDT by
Apple has dropped the number of Vision Pro units that it plans to ship in 2024, going from an expected 700 to 800k units to just 400k to 450k units, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Orders have been scaled back before the Vision Pro has launched in markets outside of the United States, which Kuo says is a sign that demand in the U.S. has "fallen sharply beyond expectations." As a...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

iOS 17.5 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday April 21, 2024 3:00 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone includes only a few new user-facing features, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 beta so far. Web Distribution Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, eligible developers are able to distribute their iOS apps to iPhone users located in the EU...
Provenance Emulator

PlayStation and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store [Updated]

Friday April 19, 2024 8:29 am PDT by
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, SEGA Genesis,...
iPad And Calculator App Feature

Apple Finally Plans to Release a Calculator App for iPad Later This Year

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:08 am PDT by
Apple is finally planning a Calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years after launching the device, according to a source familiar with the matter. iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the software update, which is expected to be unveiled during the opening keynote of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC on June 10. The lack of ...