The measure would compel app developers to provide users with in-app deletion options while also allowing them to manage app data online.
"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," says Bethel Otuteye, senior director of product management for Android App Safety. "This web requirement, which you will link in your Data safety form, is especially important so that a user can request account and data deletion without having to reinstall an app."
The goal, for the developers, is to provide users with an in-app path and web link resource requesting app account deletion and associated data. App developers must delete any data related to a particular account whenever users submit such a request.
In addition to this, users will be provided with certain alternatives to selectively delete only portions of the data, such as activity history, images, or videos, instead of completely deleting their accounts.
The decision was made as lawmakers and privacy groups intensified their scrutiny of Apple, Google, and mobile app developers due to concerns that they were profiling, gathering personal user data, and tracking mobile phone users without consent.
On June 30, 2022, Apple imposed a similar policy for app makers on its App Store. Apple, unlike Google, does not enforce a web-based alternative for users to remove their accounts; instead, it merely needs developers to provide an in-app path for account deletion.
The announcement by Google on Thursday of related measures to prevent financial loan application apps from accessing mobile phone images, videos, contacts, geolocation information, and call logs aligns with Otuteye's tweet. On May 31, 2023, that regulation came into force.
Changes May Take Time
The policy will be enforced globally with a new set of rules from early 2024, Otuteye said. The first step, she says, will require developers to fill out a data deletion form provided by Google by December 7. The developer appeals for more time and can extend the deadline to May 31, 2024. As for now, Google only requires app developers to provide users with the option to request their data deletion.