Apps on the Play Store will soon have to offer an easy way to delete accounts

XDA

By Adam Conway

Published Apr 5, 2023

If an app lets you create an account, it will also have to let you easily delete it, too.

Google constantly changes guidance for developers to clarify the best practices they should be engaging in while also making the Android platform more user-friendly, too. A new change being introduced in the coming months will make it so that apps enabling users to create an account will also need to make it easier for the user to delete their account -- both online and in the app.

Google understands that this may be a big change for some applications and is giving time for developers to implement these changes in their apps. As a first step, developers are being asked to to submit answers to new data deletion questions in their app's data safety form by December 7th, 2023. Following that, changes will soon be made in app store listings. Developers who need it can apply for an extension until May 31st, 2024.

As part of the new app data safety form, developers will need to submit a link to the place where users can delete their accounts. This is particularly essential as it allows users to delete their accounts in an app without needing to reinstall the app while also simply being more convenient, too. Developers must delete all data associated with an account when a deletion request is received, though information required for the likes of fraud detection can be kept but must be clearly disclosed.

Importantly too, Google notes that the temporary deactivation or disabling of an account does not constitute a deletion and is not in compliance with the new guidance. These changes will be healthy for users as it means that their data must be deleted, or else the developer may risk action being taken against their Google developer account. It also means that should a developer suffer a breach, they, in theory, will lose control of less data.

This change will roll out over the next year to give developers time to implement policies that are in compliance, but by the end of May next year, it should be commonplace. Apple has required this since June 2022 on iOS, which makes this a feature that Google is late to the party on. Still, better late than never.