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I plan to upload an Android Mobile Application to Google Play Store, I understand that Google Play have the User Data Policy to ensure the Published Mobile Application does not misuse the Users' data and Users' data will be well-protected.

Apps I plan to publish in Google Play Store :

  1. It is a simple Money Management apps that allow user to keep track of their personal expense.

  2. It uses Google Login API, which will acquired User's Google Account Info such as Email Address, Email Picture and Name.

  3. The other Data the Apps will Require or Store are Expenses Data such as Expenses Item Name/DateTime/Amount

I have read the Developer Policy Center, I not 100% sure and certain with its policy.

My Uncertainty :

My Apps not limited to Offline Usage and have a Backup Data feature that will Take All the Data mentioned above from Users' Mobile Internal Database and Upload All of them to Firebase Online Database. The purpose is to allow user able to retrieve back all their data in a New Device, etc.

Now I have all the Users' Expenses Data in my Firebase Database,

So as long I mentioned All the User Data will be taken to save to Online Database and its purpose in the Privacy Policy, is my Apps did not violate any Rules of Apps Publish and Safe to be upload in Google Play?

I am a Student
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1 Answers1

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Google Developer Policy Center is clear what you need to have in your Privacy Policy:

You must be transparent in how you handle user data (e.g., information collected from or about a user, including device information). That means disclosing the collection, use, and sharing of the data, and limiting the use of the data to the purposes disclosed, and the consent provided by the user.

Since your app is a money management app, this means that you collect Sensitive Personal Data according to Google Developer Center. There are additional requirements you need to review, including the "Prominent Disclosure Requirement" (which we blogged more about here).

  • You must provide a disclosure on your usage of financial information in-app. It must be displayed to users easily while using the app, and not part of a menu setting.

    This disclosure cannot be added to the Privacy Policy and that's it. While you can add it in the policy, you need to separate the financial information usage disclosure and make it easily visible to users.

  • You need to ask for consent. The consent must be active (ie. users must tap "I agree" or check a box).

    This might be a good example:

    Wave consent example via TermsFeed

  • Also, you cannot publicly share any user financial information.

All of these requirements are listed in Google Developer Policy:

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TermsFeed
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  • What if I disable the Backup Feature, where the Apps only work offline, and User only store their data locally (internal database) which I did not obtain any data from them, does it mean my apps now I totally safe from the policy issue you mentioned above? – I am a Student Oct 23 '18 at 08:23
  • @IamaStudent Probably not. Google Developer Policy doesn't make any distinction between methods of storage for user financial information. The Prominent Disclosure Requirement will still apply. – TermsFeed Oct 23 '18 at 09:54