Hey, Android users. A new safety section is coming to Google Play.
Starting next year, Android developers will be required to include a privacy policy with their app. The requirement covers both first-party and third-party app developers. The app policies will let you see safety and privacy guidelines before downloading the app, so you'll know how your data is collected, protected and used beforehand.
The requirement to include a privacy policy covers all apps, including those that don't collect personal or sensitive user data. Previously, only apps that collected such information had to disclose their policies on the Play store.
Developers can start submitting their policies and information for the new safety section in October, with a deadline to meet the requirement by April 2022. If you're an Android user, you'll start seeing the policies at the beginning of next year.
The requirement to include a privacy policy comes amid rising concerns about the amount of data collected by apps. Apple recently instituted privacy "nutrition labels" that let you know what data an app requests before you download it. The implementation of a similar requirement on Android spreads the practice to even more people. Android is the most popular mobile operating system on the planet, powering almost nine out of 10 smartphones.