Google revises Play Store's app tracking policy to protect private user details

Compared to Apple, Google gets panned for intrusive behaviour in terms of tracking user data, browsing history, product purchase, financial details not just on Android phones but also on other mediums. However, with increasing awareness of user privacy among the billions of users, partly thanks to WhatsApp's revised terms of service in January this year, the search engine giant is now making amends to improve its brand image.

Google has revised the Developer Program Policy wherein it has made it difficult for apps to track and store user information in other apps installed on the phone.

Though it may shock many people now, it has been a common practice among some apps to peek into other applications on the phone to create a profile of the user by linking data such as-- 'is the person is dating or not', 'what the user purchased and for how much' on e-commerce apps. Also, which banking app is installed in the phone. This data was used to flood targeted ads on people's phones and generate revenue.

Now, this practice of spying on others apps will be controlled for good. Google is giving a grace period of 30 days for all new and existing apps to comply with the new policy.

Starting May 5, 2021 "Google Play will restrict the use of high risk or sensitive permissions, including the QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission, which gives visibility into the inventory of installed apps on a given device. Play regards the device inventory of installed apps queried from a user’s device as personal and sensitive information, and use of the permission is only permitted when your app's core user-facing functionality or purpose, requires broad visibility into installed apps on the user’s device,'' the company said.

If the apps don't meet the policy guidelines, the developer has to remove the 'QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES' from the app's manifest and add alternative implementations that don't harm the user's privacy.

To be transparent, Google will be providing a declaration form to app developers on why the latter needs any access to personal and sensitive information on the phone. Only if they provide a proper answer articulately, they will be given the privilege to use personal data.

Apps that fail to comply with the new policy will be removed from the Google Play store.

The news comes months after Apple introduced app privacy labels in December 2020. The company made it mandatory for apps to declare what and how much user information is being tracked and stored.

It should be noted that Apple is also bringing a more stringent App Tracking Transparency feature in the upcoming iOS 14.5, where it offers a single button to iPhone/iPad users to block all tracking permissions of apps on the device.

Read more | Apple launches easy-to-understand privacy labels for all apps

Now, Google is following the path of Apple to help users get more control of app permissions and end the ugly practice of tracking device owners to generate ad revenue.

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