Google makes it easier to remove account data from Android apps

Google is constantly working to modify the Play Store to give users more control over their data. There will now be a new requirement for app makers that requires users to delete their app data more easily.

Delete account data from apps

Many apps offer the option to create accounts in the app and to link data to them. If you want to delete this data, you can “request the app developer to delete your data”. This is stated in the Play Store description for the item Data securityalso with our AW Reader as you can see in the screenshots below.

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Google will go a step further in this from 2024. The Play Store policy will then be adjusted with a new requirement: “For apps that enable the creation of app accounts, developers will soon have to offer an option to initiate the deletion of accounts and data from within the app and online.”

Google therefore requires it for every app in which you can create an account, so that app users can easily remove these accounts. This gives these users more control over their data. In addition, app developers must make it possible for app users to delete their account data online, i.e. via a website. App users can then go there to delete data if they have already deleted the app. They do not have to reinstall the app first.

Choose what you want to delete

Finally, developers can give app users a choice in the type of data they want to remove. App users who may not want to delete their account completely can choose to delete only other data. Think of activity history, images or videos.

Developers who need to keep certain data for things like legislation, fraud prevention or security reasons should clearly indicate this.

Before the end of 2023, developers must provide data for this policy. At the beginning of next year, app users in the Play Store will be shown how they can delete their account data. Among other things, there will be a renewed badge for this in the section Data security.

What do you think of this new Play Store policy? Let us know in the comments below.