Google starts cracking down on apps that unnecessarily access your media library

Google rolled out a more private media picker with Android 13 in 2022. Eventually, the company backported the new option to Android 4.4+ devices through Google Play Services. Over time, many apps adopted the new media picker, allowing you to grant them access to only those pictures and videos that you want. Sadly, not all Android apps use the new photo picker despite Google urging developers to do so. Now, the company is taking matters into its own hands by forcing apps to adopt the new photo picker through a Play Store policy change.

Android expert Mishaal Rahman, in a report for Android Authority, details how Google will do this. In October 2023, the company informed developers that it would start cracking down on apps that unnecessarily request access to the READ_MEDIA_IMAGES and READ_MEDIA_VIDEO permissions for accessing media files starting mid-2024. Then, beginning in early 2025, only apps whose core functionality revolves around photos and videos will be allowed to use these two permissions. This includes gallery, image editing, or other similar apps.

As per Google’s support page, “examples of one-time or infrequent use of photos or video files include but are not limited to: uploading a profile picture, uploading an image for a playlist or uploading a photo of a check for banking purposes.” Such apps should not use the MEDIA_IMAGES and MEDIA_VIDEO permissions; instead, they must use the new media picker for a more elegant and safer experience.

Google informed developers at I/O 2024 about its intention to enforce these policy changes starting in August 2024. The company missed that deadline, but it appears to have started the crackdown beginning September 18, 2024. Developers whose apps utilize the aforementioned images and video permissions have until October 31, 2024, to submit a declaration form to ensure they qualify for their usage.

App developers can request an extension

Source: Unsplash / Android Police

Developers will also get a self-service option to request a compliance deadline extension until January 22, 2025. If they fail to submit the necessary declaration by the end of October, they will be blocked from updating their app.

In cases where Google approves the extension, developers will have time until January 22, 2025, to comply with the regulation. If they fail to do so by then, their app will be removed from the Google Play Store. Only private and enterprise management apps are exempt from this policy.

Overall, this change from Google is a step in the right direction and one that developers should have jumped on already. The only problem is that the Android file picker provides a barebones experience, which the company must improve. There’s currently no way to search through or filter your photos or videos.