What you need to know
- The Google Play Store account deletion policy finally went live for app users.
- Users can choose their accounts and data collected by app developers to be kept or removed entirely.
- Google initially proposed the policy for app developers last April, with a deadline of May 31, 2024.
Google Play Store is finally allowing users to easily delete their account data from Android Apps. The feature that was introduced to developers by Google last April seems to be rolling out to everyone starting this week.
The new rule, first proposed by Google targeting apps that usually allow account creation for users, will now also allow them to delete accounts permanently. According to contributor Assemble Debug through Android Authority, Google Play Store is showcasing the new "Account deletion available" badge for Android phone users under the Data Safety section for relevant apps.
Clicking the badge would take users to the Data deletion pane, which includes options like Delete app account and Manage app data. The former allows users to "submit a request" to app developers to delete their account data and other associated information that users have given while creating the account. The Delete app account section further provides the relevant developer’s site link. Upon clicking, it will showcase instructions for users on how to delete their accounts.
With the Manage app data, account holders can request the developer delete only specific data collected by the app, not the entire account. This data can include activity history, transaction history, and images and video.
The new findings appear on track as promised during the proposal with an early 2024 timeframe. Google mandated that app developers provide straightforward methods for account deletions online or via the app's web version.
This new ability is "especially important so that a user can request account and data deletion without having to reinstall an app," noted Bethel Otuteye, Senior Director of Product Management, Android App Safety, in the blog post.
When Google initiated this policy, it also gave developers a deadline of May 31, to include the easy app account deletion option for their apps. As the extension is only a couple of days away, Google Play Store bringing the new changes sounds achievable.
