1

I have an Android app that is currently in testing, with only a small handful of testers who are my family members.

I have been uploading APK's to my app's Alpha channel in the Google Play Store. This has been working fine for months. However, today, when I went to upload a new release to the Alpha channel, I got the following error:

The apk has permissions that require a privacy policy set for the app, e.g: android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS.

I do use the GET_ACCOUNTS permission, and do not have a privacy policy yet (since my only testers are family members), but I have been using that permission for a long time, have never had a privacy policy, and have not had a problem uploading my APK until now. I was able to upload it without a privacy policy as recently as April 9th, 2017.

Questions:

1) Why did this just start happening now?

2) Do I really need a privacy policy when my app is only in Alpha? It will be a while before my app is released to the public, and I need time to get it right.

4

3 回答 3

1

Google is now asking for a Privacy Policy for all Android apps that are requesting sensitive permissions from users.

Get accounts is a sensitive permission. Other permissions that will trigger the requirement of a Privacy Policy are: record audio, read phone state, camera, read contacts.

The deadline for adding a Privacy Policy to your app was March 15, 2017. Here's the email that Google sent out to developers:

Google email to Android developers via TermsFeed

As we mentioned in our article on this, you can fix this by either:

  1. Adding a Privacy Policy to your Android app.

    Login to your Google Play Developer Console > Select "All Applications" > Select your app > Click "Store Listing" > Paste the URL of your Privacy Policy at the "Privacy Policy" field.

  2. Or stop requesting sensitive permissions from users.

于 2017-05-22T08:10:15.893 回答
1

Answers:

1) Why did this just start happening now?

Your question is related to several other posts from a couple of weeks ago. That's (15th of March, 17) when Google introduced new rules regarding the requesting of sensitive permissions. GET_ACCOUNTS is one of these sensitive permissions that trigger a privacy policy requirement from Google's side:

For apps that request access to sensitive permissions or data (as defined in the user data policies): You must link to a privacy policy on your app's store listing page and within your app. Make sure your privacy policy is available on an active URL, applies to your app, and specifically covers user privacy.

If you need more information:

2) Do I really need a privacy policy when my app is only in Alpha? It will be a while before my app is released to the public, and I need time to get it right.

Apparently Google chose to make these limitations as early as in the beta phase, probably choosing not to distinguish between those phases to get the developer accustomed early. In any case, I applaud your determination to get the privacy policy right (and that can only be done towards the end of its development).

So why don't you just submit an initial version stating that the finished version will be available once the data collection practices are fully clear to you?

p.s. if you're up for using a tool for the creation of privacy policies, the company I work for and linked to in the above article (iubenda), does exactly that. :)

于 2017-05-22T08:32:27.737 回答
0

Policy issue: Google Play requires developers to provide a valid privacy policy when the app requests or handles sensitive user or device information. Your app requests sensitive permissions (e.g. camera, microphone, accounts, contacts, or phone) or user data, but does not include a valid privacy policy.

this was change in google play policy they also issued notice for same, as i got mail regarding same to update privacy policy before 15th March 2017

here are the change privacy policy of play store https://play.google.com/about/privacy-security/personal-sensitive/

as per i know last time on 15th April i uploaded app on Beta it's showing warning only but allowed me to upload

于 2017-05-22T05:35:20.280 回答