Last year, Google set a new rule for the Play Store: if an app lets you create an account, it also needs to let you delete it both in-app and online. The company said we would start seeing these data deletion practices in Play Store listings early this year, and now, it is finally happening.
Ahead of the deadline, the “Account deletion available” badge is now live in the Google Play Store
Code detective Assemble Debug, a contributor to the tech media outlet Android Authority, recently caught sight of a new “Account deletion available” badge popping up on Google Play Store app listings.
Since December 2023, Google has been urging developers to include details about app account deletion in their Play Store listings. Developers have until May 31, 2024, to comply, with potential penalties like app removal looming for those who don’t. Now that the data deletion badges are live and the enforcement deadline is just around the corner, developers should not expect any more extensions.
Google’s data deletion policy requires developers to offer data and account deletion options both within their apps and online. This means users don’t have to reinstall an app to delete their data or account. Developers must also disclose if they need to retain certain data for legitimate reasons, like regulatory compliance.