Google's new rules: Android apps must allow users to freely delete accounts and data

Breaking news: Google has begun requiring Android app developers to take control measures to allow users to delete their accounts and data within the app or outside (Play Store page).

Android app developers must comply with the requirement by May 31, 2024, Google said in a blog post published on April 5.

According to Google's new rules, users do not need to re-download an app to delete data even if they are no longer using it. Instead, Google requires developers to set up a data deletion request form on the Play Store listing page of their app. In addition, Google has placed the data deletion information in a more prominent position on the Play Store page to facilitate user operations.

Google said the move was intended to give users more power and build consumer trust.

The backdrop to all this is that governments around the world have stepped up enforcement of data protection in recent years following major data breaches such as Meta’s Cambridge Analytica scandal, the Equifax data breach and the Marriott data breach.

The European Union passed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 and has used it to impose huge fines on tech companies that fail to comply.

The U.S. Congress has called for privacy regulation and questioned TikTok CEO Jay Chou about privacy issues last month, but has so far passed no major legislation.

In recent years, Apple has claimed to care deeply about user privacy, and the company has changed the way its apps handle user data, adding an opt-in feature rather than an opt-out feature.

This means that if the Facebook app wants to share or track someone's data, it must first ask for permission. Previously, this option might have been hidden in the device settings. After the change, an analytics agency said that users decided to opt out of tracking in 96% of cases.

Android device users are also concerned about the security of their data. A survey showed that 49% of users said they would prefer to switch to iPhone for security and privacy reasons.

Google's move may be deliberate, considering that iPhones are now more widely used than Android phones in the U.S. for the first time in more than a decade.