Following the footsteps of Apple, Google is now planning to add a safety section in Google Play to give people transparency into how apps use data. According to Google, this section will help people understand the data an app collects or shares, if that data is secured, and additional details that impact privacy and security.
In addition to the data an app collects or shares, Google is also introducing new elements to highlight whether:
- The app has security practices, like data encryption
- The app follows our Families policy
- The app needs this data to function or if users have a choice in sharing it
- The app’s safety section is verified by an independent third-party
- The app enables users to request data deletion if they decide to uninstall
Google says that the section will also include details about what type of data, such as location, contacts, personal information (eg. name, email address), photos and videos, audio files, and storage files, is collected and stored by a certain app.
