It will soon be easier for Android users to see what kind of data apps collect on them
A while back, Apple introduced Privacy Labels to the App Store. This is basically a requirement for developers where they need to inform users on the kind of data is being collected by the app. Now it looks like a similar feature is being rolled out for Android users in the form of Data Safety.
Google had announced plans to introduce the feature to the Play Store a while back and it was supposed to be released in February, so while it might be a bit delayed, it’s better than nothing.
Google’s take on this feature is slightly different to Apple. Apple requires developers to explain the data they are collecting, but in Google’s case, developers will be required to provide more information so that users can make a more informed decision on the app that they are about to download. According to Google:
Here are the information developers can show in the Data safety section:
- 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).
Keep in mind that all these disclosures seem to rely on the developers being honest and upfront. It is possible that there might be a few bad actors, but now that Google requires these types of public disclosures, hopefully developers will now be more accountable with their apps and data collection.
Source: Google