Google Play Developer Program Policy Update

Please review Google Play Developer policy updates. View as webpage DEVELOPER UPDATE Hello Google Play Developer, We regularly update our policies as part of our commitment to making Google Play the safest and most trusted experience possible. Updated policy You can find all the details of the latest changes to our policies, including the deadlines by which you must comply with them and additional resources, in our Policy Center. We're increasing the scope of the Medical functionalities policy and updating the policy language to incorporate the latest medical guidance and disclaimer requirements for health and medical apps. We're also consolidating health-related policies under the Health Content and Services page. Clarifications Additionally, we've added clarifications to some of our existing policies. Because these changes aren't new or updated, our enforcement standards and practices remain the same. We're updating the Enforcement Process page to provide more clarity regarding how the use of third-party code (e.g., an SDK) in your app may impact policy compliance. We're updating the Health Connect policy to enable regulated medical devices to access and utilize Health Connect data, provided they comply with all applicable regulations and obtain explicit user consent to use the data for their regulatory approved purposes. To improve developer understanding and better protect user and device data, we are updating the "Protecting User Data and Privacy" section of the Mobile Unwanted Software policy with new language to direct developers to the most useful relevant policies. Reminders Social and dating apps now have until January 22, 2025, to comply with the new Child safety standards policy, which requires self-certification on Play Console before publishing. Declarations will be made available in Console in December. Check out Tech Coalition's best practices for Combating Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) here. Last October, we introduced the Photo and Video Permissions policy to reduce the number of apps permitted to request broad photo/video permissions (READ_MEDIA_IMAGES and READ_MEDIA_VIDEO). To give developers more time to adopt these changes, we are extending the deadlines. Starting January 22, 2025, apps may only access photos and videos for purposes directly related to app functionality. Apps that need additional time may request extensions until May 28, 2025. Apps that have a one-time or infrequent need to access these files are requested to use a system picker, such as the Android photo picker. See Details on Google Play's Photo and Video Permissions policy. We are continuously working to ensure developers have the information they need to succeed. To make a request for data that you do not believe is already available via Play Console or other tools, please use this form. Please review these policy updates carefully in case any of your apps are impacted. To learn more about how to comply with these changes: Register for a policy webinar, available for multiple regions. Send in your questions in advance. Ask questions or share best practices with fellow developers in the Google Play Developer Help Community. REVIEW UPDATES Thank you, Your Google Play team Connect with us © 2024 Google LLC 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA You have received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about important changes to your Google Play Developer account.