14 DAY TRIAL // Google has started sending notices to developers worldwide, informing them of the intention to “limit visibility” or completely remove applications from the Play Store. Google seems to be targeting apps that violate the company’s User Data policy.
Some app developers even lack a privacy policy and Google’s email even offers developers solutions to this issue, according to The Next Web. Google Play requires app developers to provide a valid privacy policy when the application requests or handles sensitive user or device information.
App developers can either include a link to a valid privacy policy in their app’s store listing page or opt out of this requirement by removing any requests for sensitive permissions or user data. This way, Google wants to take action against thousands or even millions of applications that don’t abide by Play privacy requirements.
Developers must resolve the issue by March 15
Google even provided app developers with a deadline for resolving the issue, they must either remove requests for user data or provide a valid privacy policy link until March 15, 2017. Google mentioned that, if developers don’t comply, their apps’ visibility will be limited or even completely removed.
This measure is in the advantage of users foremost; as it makes sure that all apps abide by Play’s privacy policy and that so-called “zombie apps” would be removed. Such applications have been around for quite some time and haven’t received updates for years, while some were rendered useless by newer Android versions.
The removal of such zombie apps would make it easier for users to find updated and solid applications by reducing the clutter in the Play Store when searching for certain keywords. This would also be for the benefit of developers of up-to-date applications.
Starting March 15, Google might start putting these measures into effect and it would be interesting to see how many such apps will be removed, while the Play store will become a bit more secure.