Knowing that nearly every app on our devices collects massive amounts of data about us can be unsettling. Thankfully, Google listened to user requests by rolling out theData Safety section in the Play Storelast year, showing what kind of data an Android app is accessing and whether it’s shared with third parties. However, wiping our entire digital footprint from an app has not been a straightforward task. Google is nowputting forth a simple wayto delete our accounts from within an app and make sure our data is gone forever.
Google will soon force apps that require account creation to make it easier to wipe our data directly in the app or through a web-based portal. This means that users won’t need to re-install an app in order to ask developers to delete their data if they’ve already uninstalled it. Instead, Google will require developers to include a link to a web-based data deletion request form in their app’s Play Store listing. Once this is fulfilled, user data must be removed from the developer’s servers.
The company is asking developers to submit the necessary information about their data deletion practices by December 7 before the new changes are implemented early next year. That said, Google is letting them file for an extension until June 16, 2025.
As a result, you’ll start seeing data deletion badges on Play Store apps that have complied with the new rules sometime next year. The kill switch will appear front and center in an app’s data safety section. To request data deletion, navigate to that section and tap the item that says “Account deletion available.” After that, you’ll be taken to a web page where you can scrub your account.
On the other hand, you can choose to remove only thedata associated with your account(such as images and videos) while keeping your account active. Developers must also state clearly whether they need to retain user data for security, fraud prevention, or regulatory compliance.
Google hopes that the new policy will prevent unused apps from clinging to your personal information unnecessarily. It’ssimilar to Apple’s requirementthat forces iOS developers to always make sure an account deletion option is always available in their apps.
While the new feature may not exonerate Google from all of its privacy blunders, it’s a welcome move for a company whose data collection is almost impossible to escape.
