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I have currently some troubles to make my app comply with the new "Google Background Location Policy". Here is my situation :

  • My application is targeting Android Api 22 and Up
  • I have the following permissions required in my app : ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
  • I need this permission to display the User position in a Map while the app is in Foreground and for Bluetooth Low Energy usage
  • I do not fetch location while the app is in Background

I don't understand how to setup the Google Play Console. The only cases I can see are the following :

  • My application use location and is available starting from API 29, but do not require the ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION permission.
  • My application don't use Location and don't have any *_LOCATION permissions.

I am missing the case where :

  • My Application is available starting from API 22, So I don't have the ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION permission. But my app requires location permission in foreground and uses Bluetooth, so I need the ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission. I never request location in the background.

I guess the application already comply with the "Background Location Policy" since the app only fetch the location in foreground. However my apps updates are always rejected due to this policy, so I am a little bit confused.


Why my app do not comply ?

  • Is it only because I have the permission ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION present in my app, and by default Google assume that the app request location in background ?
  • Do I need to restrict my app to Android 9 and older, in order to not get stuck with the automatic attribution of ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION permission?
  • Do I need to fill the Background Location Permission form in the Google Console and explain that I do not access location in the background ?
  • Something else ?

Thanks for your feedback on it.

oguz ismail
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Tobliug
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  • I have same issue. Please let me know if you got any solution. – Santo Shakil Jan 07 '21 at 05:20
  • Did you ever figure this out? – casolorz Jan 13 '21 at 20:17
  • Same issue for me. If someone has a solution, please share. – Laurent D. Jan 16 '21 at 22:17
  • I still have trouble with this issue. However, I pushed another app based on the exact same source code few days ago. I get absolutely no issue at all. So it's kind of Random. I tried to contact the Google Policy Team like 20 times (really), without success.... – Tobliug Jan 18 '21 at 09:43
  • Same issue. Google support does not help (just send the mail content again). If someone has a solution, please share – Laurent D. Jan 31 '21 at 07:34
  • In this case I think you have to target your app to API 29 or above, submit new apk and declare in the form at the content > sensitive data that your app don't use location on the background, see what google says – Thomc Feb 05 '21 at 02:36
  • @Laurent D. Please check the second part of my answer here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/65791133/3917673 . I can well imagine that it is due to exactly the same problem in your case. – Jakob Kühne Feb 05 '21 at 12:38
  • @JakobKühne, Thanks, google was in fact complaining about an internal test channel. But but I still have the problem on the production channel. – Laurent D. Feb 07 '21 at 07:13

3 Answers3

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try submitting and say you dont use background (declare foreground usage)

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    There is actually no way to do that. I can only tell that the app don't use background location OR I will need to explain why and where my app use background location and add a video to demonstrate the use case. – Tobliug Jan 05 '21 at 16:56
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Probably you're requesting location update on a Service (even a foreground service) This is kind of automatic scan from google. Your app is targeting below API 29, uses ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission is same with targeting API 29 and above and uses ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION

Thomc
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  • In my case, the app is targeting API 29 and I don't have any service. But Google claims I am using location in background. – Laurent D. Feb 02 '21 at 07:45
  • does it have ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION permission or on the first apks had this permission, 'cause it automatically scans. Even after you remove that permission it still considers your app uses background location – Thomc Feb 03 '21 at 02:17
  • I have just checked. I never used ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION in any of my apks. – Laurent D. Feb 03 '21 at 06:13
  • Did you target yours previous apks below 29 with ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission? 'cause it would be treated the same with target 29 and has ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION. – Thomc Feb 04 '21 at 02:23
  • Yes,the previous versions of my apk targeted below api 29 with ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission. Do you know what can be done now ? I haven't seen a way to remove these old apks from the play store console. – Laurent D. Feb 04 '21 at 10:04
  • I was in a position that: a previous APK contained the ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION but it could be removed. Then I uploaded a new release to the Play Store and submitted the policy form for background permission were I mentioned the background location was no longer used & removed. Google accepted that apparently. – Daan Feb 04 '21 at 18:56
  • @LaurentD. Was it Alpha/beta test apk as my case? Then I have to create an empty track and roll out to replace the old apk. Otherwise if it was prod apk you just have to target to 30, submit new apk and declare in the form at the content > sensitive data that your app don't use location on the background, see what google says – Thomc Feb 05 '21 at 02:24
  • Sorry target to 29 or above – Thomc Feb 05 '21 at 02:36
  • The policy issue disappeared by itself this week-end. I don't understand why. No code change. – Laurent D. Feb 08 '21 at 06:49
  • @LaurentD., same problem, trying to use tools:remove... – AlexS Feb 08 '21 at 07:30
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In my case, Google needed a video showing that the prominent disclosure was being displayed before requesting the runtime permission. The video needs to be uploaded to, say, YouTube and included in the Google Play console under App content->Permission declarations form->Video instructions. You also need to explain what triggers the request for background location permission.

FractalBob
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  • It was not enough in my case. Probably because I don't really need the background permission. I have added a disclosure and pushed a video too, but I am still rejected from time to time. Fortunately from my side, the Google Policy update appears to be a wet firecracker. Most of the time the rejection can be bypassed. – Tobliug Mar 29 '21 at 08:56