Google has recently rolled out an important update to its Play Store, now displaying an "Account Deletion Available" badge on every app that allows user account creation.
Google Play Store now features an "Account Deletion Available" badge on apps, enhancing user control over data with a compliance deadline of May 31, 2024.KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images
Google Play Store Lets Users Know If App Allows Account Deletion
In April 2023, Google implemented a new rule for apps listed on the Play Store: if an app allows users to create accounts, it must also provide an option to delete those accounts and the associated data.
Google advises developers that when they delete an app account at a user's request, they also have to delete the user data associated with that app account.
This requirement applies both within the app and through a web interface. The enforcement deadline for developers to comply with this rule is May 31, 2024. Developers can request extensions up to this date, but after that, non-compliant apps may face "additional enforcement actions," potentially including removal from the Play Store.
As Android Authority reports, the "Account Deletion Available" badge is now live on the Google Play Store, appearing in the Data Safety section of app listings. This update comes after a year of Google urging developers to include account deletion information in their store listings since December 2023.
As the deadline approaches, Google is ensuring that users can easily identify apps that comply with these new requirements.
Google's new policy aims to provide users with more control over their personal data and to enhance transparency about data management practices.
By making account and data deletion options easily accessible, Google helps users manage their digital footprint more effectively.
The badge serves as a clear indicator that users can delete their accounts and data directly within the app or through a web interface, without needing to reinstall the app if it has been uninstalled. This feature is designed to simplify the process of data management for users.
Google's data deletion policy specifies that developers must offer these deletion options within the app and on the web, ensuring that users have multiple avenues to manage their data.
Developers are also required to disclose if they need to retain certain data for legitimate reasons, such as regulatory compliance, security, and fraud prevention.
What It Means for Users
For users, the new badge makes it easy to identify apps that allow account and data deletion, enhancing their control over personal information. This update is part of a broader effort by Google to improve data safety and transparency on the Play Store.
