Google Play App Listings will have Apple's App Store-like Privacy labels

Last Year, Apple introduced a requirement for apps to include "Privacy labels" to essentially provide a quick glance over the data that it might collect from them. This was sort of controversial but has been in favor of consumers. Now, Google too wants to implement the same on its App Store to protect the users and allow them better transparency.

A pre-announcement blog post by the company says that it will release a safety section in Google Play that will help people "understand the data an app collects or shares if that data is secured and additional details that impact privacy and security."

Google says that the section will have information about what type of data, such as location, contacts, personal information (name, email address), photos and videos, audio files, and storage files, is collected and stored by a specific app. The developers will also have to list how the data is used. Google Play will also have a policy that requires developers to provide accurate information. Failing to do so, the developer(s) will be asked to fix it. "Apps that don't become compliant will be subject to policy enforcement," Google noted.

As this is a pre-announcement, the new Policy details will be shared later in Q3 2021, with the section becoming visible for users in Q1 2022. While Google will also be imposing a deadline for making this feature compulsory for any developer from Q2 2022.