Google Rolls Out ‘Data Safety’ Section To Bring More Transparency For Users

Considering the concerns of Android users worried about their data used by apps, Google Play Store has come up with a solution which is the Data Safety section on the Play Store. This section has been started with an aim to let the users know about how an app is using their data.

The feature has started to work and could be seen appearing on the app. However, as all apps will not be able to provide the data immediately, the tech giant has set up a deadline of July 20 for the developers to comply will the rules required for the new feature.

The section is supposed to be continuously updated by the developers and will be required to show the latest one on the app’s Data Safety section. Currently, apps do collect data with the consent of users through permissions. However, it continues to worry the users concerned about data privacy.

Google in a blog post said, 

We heard from users and app developers that displaying the data an app collects, without additional context, is not enough. Users want to know for what purpose their data is being collected and whether the developer is sharing user data with third parties.

The tech giant added, 

In addition, users want to understand how app developers are securing user data after an app is downloaded. That’s why we designed the Data safety section to allow developers to clearly mark what data is being collected and for what purpose it’s being used.

Furthermore, the post also mentioned that the users will also be able to see, whether the app they are using or going to use will require data to function or the data collection by the app is optional.

Google has mentioned the following pointers that the developers will be required to reflect in the Data Safety section:

• Whether the developer is collecting data and for what purpose.
• Whether the developer is sharing data with third parties.
• The app’s security practices, like encryption of data in transit and whether users can ask for data to be deleted.
• Whether a qualifying app has committed to following Google Play’s Families Policy to better protect children in the Play store.
• Whether the developer has validated their security practices against a global security standard.

Precisely, the feature is going to help Android users in order to make decisions about downloading an app after reading the information regarding where and how the app will use their data. The Data Safety feature is similar to the one available on Apple App Store as ‘Apple’s Privacy Lables’ launched in 2020.