Google launches Apple style data safety feature in its app marketplace

Google launched its set of privacy labels in the Play Store following a similar move by Apple.

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The new feature will ask developers to give more information about how apps collect, share and secure users’ data.

Users will start seeing the Data safety section in Google Play on Thursday, and phased rollout will continue from there until all Play users on phone and the web can see all labels uploaded by developers. Developers must complete this section for their apps by July 20, the company said in a statement.

Any update in functionality of apps, or changes in their data handling practices need to reflect in the apps’ Data safety section, it added.

The new section will inform users whether an app is collecting data, sharing with third parties and the app’s security practices, like encryption of data in transit, and whether users can ask for data to be deleted.

It will also show if an app has committed to following Google’s child protection policies in Play Store.

Users can also see whether the app needs this data to function or if this data collection is optional, Google said.

The company’s plan to introduce app privacy labels on Google Play was first announced mid last year, after Apple introduced privacy labels on its App Store in December, 2020.

While Google and Apple labels reveal how apps collect and manage data and user privacy, the two have some differences.

Apple’s privacy label focus on what data is being collected, including data used for ad tracking purposes, and they inform the user what is linked to them.

Apps in the App Store request users’ permission for ad tracking and giving consent would allow the apps to track user activities across other companies’ apps and websites.

Google’s labels focus on whether users can trust the data that is collected by allowing developers to disclose the global data security standards they follow and if they are sharing data with third parties.

Apple's app privacy label feature questioned by U.S. House Committee

However, Apple’s App privacy labels have already been accused of providing false and unreliable information. Some apps claiming they collected no data were found to be doing it and sharing it.