After Apple, Google Play Launches its Own Privacy ‘Nutrition Labels’ App

Highlights –

• Apple’s labels mainly deal with what data is being collected, including data used for tracking purposes and informing the user linked to them.
• Google’s labels talk about whether you can trust the collected data is being handled responsibly by allowing developers to disclose if they follow best practices around data security.

Google Play has officially announced the launch of its own version of privacy-related “nutrition labels” for apps. The tech giant will begin rolling out the new Google Play Data Security section to users gradually ahead of the July 20 deadline. This requires developers to properly disclose the data their app collects, if and how it is shared with third parties, app security practices, etc.

The company’s plan to introduce app privacy labels on Google Play was made last spring, months after Apple’s App Store introduced privacy labels on its app marketplace.

While both sets of labels focus on informing users about how apps collect and manage data and user privacy, there are some important differences. Apple’s labels provide further information about what data is being acquired, such as data used for tracking and informing the user of its associated use. Meanwhile, Google’s labels focus primarily on whether you can trust the data that’s obtained; if it is being handled properly by allowing developers to identify whether they stick to best practices around data security.

The labels also allow Android developers a way to make their case as to why they collect the data explicitly on the label, so consumers can understand how the data is utilized – for app functionality, personalization, and so on – to help guide the user’s decision to download the app. They can also determine whether data collecting is mandatory or optional.

According to Google, it heard from app developers that simply presenting the data an app collects without further context was insufficient, which is driving the label’s design.

At launch, the Google Play Data Security section will precisely give detail on the following, Google says:

• Whether the developer is collecting data and for what purpose.
• Whether the developer is sharing data with third parties.
• The app’s security practices, include encrypting data in transit and whether users can request to get the data deleted.
• Whether a qualifying app has committed to following Google Play’s family policy designed to protect children in the Play Store better.
• Whether the developer has validated their security practices against a global security standard (more specifically MASVS).

While adding the labels might theoretically help Android users make better judgments about which apps to download, it’s unclear whether there is an effort to actually review the data for correctness at the time of submission. When asked Google how it would review the data, it said that developers are responsible for the information they submit. Google also stated that if it discovers that a developer has misrepresented the data they’ve provided in violation of the rules, it would not instantly remove the app –  it will urge the developer to fix it. Only if the app fails to comply will action be taken.