Google Play Store safety section will show new security information about apps

Google Play Store is bringing a new safety section, which will provide Android users features and accessibility to apps security, user permissions, and data it collects before downloading the app on a device.

According to Google, all of the Google Play Store apps will be required to share information in the safety section. Developers don’t need to panic, because Google also announced that developers will be given time to make these changes in their application sections.

So, let’s jump to more information regarding the Google Play Store safety section.

How will it look?

You will now be able to see the new summary section on the app’s store listing page. The section will describe all of the data that the corresponding app collects from your device.

Some of the highlights of these details are:

1. Whether the app uses data encryption methods
2. Whether it follows Families policy
3. Whether the app has been independently validated against a global security standard.

Check details of the data collected by the app:

You will also have the power to view more information regarding the data that’s collected by the app and why you should grant permission.

Such examples for these are:

1. Information collection  – location, contacts, personal information (name, email, and other), financial information, and more.
2. Where your data will be utilized in the app.
3. More importantly, you will also be able to see, which data is optional or required to provide to the app.

Furthermore, the developers will have to mention whether the app uses any of the user data for research purposes.

Design could change:

Google confirmed that the design of the safety section may change as the features may receive further optimization with continued development.

Deadline for Developers to declare the information:

The new Google Play Store safety section will launch for the app in the first quarter of 2022.

To prepare for the listing, developers can submit information on Google Play Console for review from October this year. However, interested developers can start early if they want to.

Also, the last date for developers to meet the deadline to submit the app privacy details will be in April 2022. Without the approved section, the app won’t be submitted on Play Store.