In what is increasingly becoming its focus recently after what we just saw with the changes coming in Android 14, Google is going a step further in its quest to ensure user privacy is at the core of its Android operations.
Apps that allow users to create accounts must also offer them an easy way to delete those same accounts and any data they hold, Google says.
“For apps that enable app account creation, developers will soon need to provide an option to initiate account and data deletion from within the app and online,” Bethel Otuteye, a Senior Director for Product Management and Android App Safety says in a post to developers.
The latter option of users being able to delete their accounts and related data online is so that users are able to do so without having to go back to an app they had already uninstalled, which is the case currently.
“As the new policy states, when you fulfill a request to delete an account, you must also delete the data associated with that account. The feature also gives developers a way to provide more choice: users who may not want to delete their account entirely can choose to delete other data only where applicable (such as activity history, images, or videos). For developers that need to retain certain data for legitimate reasons such as security, fraud prevention, or regulatory compliance, you must clearly disclose those data retention practices.”
App developers have until next year (31st May 2024) to comply with the new requirements from Google.
