[Google Play] Issue found: Invalid Data safety form (family program's app)

Hello!

I have a kids game, part of family program. This game has ads (admob) and in app purchases.

I recently recieved this warning "Fix policy violations to prevent your Data safety section from being removed: Device Or Other IDs Data Type - Device Or Other IDs (some common examples may include Advertising ID, Android ID, IMEI, BSSID, MAC address)"

As it seems I have the Data safety thingy set up incorrectly. I do not use any data collecting, I don't have accounts, analytics or anything like that. So I guess it's coming from admob sdk?

The issue needs to be solved either by editing the data safety form (that I did and got rejected) presumably because I'm part of family's program and I'm not supposed to collect certain data.

Or by editing the app, removing stuff from the manifest... however the ​<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID"" is nowhere to be found?

Anyone went through a similar issue?

Hello! How did you solve this problem?

> Hello! How did you solve this problem?

Hey! I haven't solved this issue yet ^^U I tried by updating the data safety, but collecting any kind of data does not comply with "google for families", so it got REJECTED -.-. I don't want to be kicked of google for families because I have a kid's game, but also I cannot remove ads because it's my main monetization source.

I tried with solution 2, which was editing the manifesto in android, and making a new release. I'm not sure this will work, and also now I have a discrepancy

<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>

My due date is november 4th, so I'm a little bit stuck, and wondering if anybody has the same issue and could fix it.

Here's a link to my issue:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/thread/240600247?hl=en&sjid=9336640990544369031-EU

I have practically the same problem. I have attached a link below to my post. My application is for all age groups, I do not have violence or other scenes, but it is not direct children's content, but just a business simulator. My game has a rating of 3+, and the settings indicate that the game is suitable for up to 5 years. I've already been rejected four times. And I'm afraid to do anything further.

I have two options. The first is to make the game inaccessible until the age of 13, then the problem should be solved, but I don’t know how this will affect further promotion, and I’m also very confused by the inscription “GAME NOT FOR CHILDREN”.

Or the option is to remove advertising, but this is also nonsense.

Can you write your email? Maybe we can exchange screenshots in detail, etc.

construct.net/en/forum/construct-3/general-discussion-7/app-rejected-advertising-id-179209

If you remove the AD_ID permission (which you must do to comply with the Family program), you must also change your declaration in the console that your app do no use the AD_ID.

Now you have removed the permission, but still declared that you will use it, that's why you get the latest notification.

Regarding the first notification you obviously seem to have filled in your Data Safety form that your app do not collect or share any data at all, this is of course not true (then no ads would even work). That's why you got that notification.

Here you can see what ADMOB collect: developers.google.com/admob/android/privacy/play-data-disclosure

> > Hello! How did you solve this problem?

>

>

> Hey! I haven't solved this issue yet ^^U I tried by updating the data safety, but collecting any kind of data does not comply with "google for families", so it got REJECTED -.-. I don't want to be kicked of google for families because I have a kid's game, but also I cannot remove ads because it's my main monetization source.

>

> I tried with solution 2, which was editing the manifesto in android, and making a new release. I'm not sure this will work, and also now I have a discrepancy

>

> <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>

>

>

>

> My due date is november 4th, so I'm a little bit stuck, and wondering if anybody has the same issue and could fix it.

>

> Here's a link to my issue:

> https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/thread/240600247?hl=en&sjid=9336640990544369031-EU

I have practically the same problem. I have attached a link below to my post. My application is for all age groups, I do not have violence or other scenes, but it is not direct children's content, but just a business simulator. My game has a rating of 3+, and the settings indicate that the game is suitable for up to 5 years. I've already been rejected four times. And I'm afraid to do anything further.

I have two options. The first is to make the game inaccessible until the age of 13, then the problem should be solved, but I don’t know how this will affect further promotion, and I’m also very confused by the inscription “GAME NOT FOR CHILDREN”.

Or the option is to remove advertising, but this is also nonsense.

Can you write your email? Maybe we can exchange screenshots in detail, etc.

https://www.construct.net/en/forum/construct-3/general-discussion-7/app-rejected-advertising-id-179209

Hello!

So, as far as I understand being rejected while trying to fix it's okay. You won't get suspended by that (at least that's what I read).

So in your case... if you want to comply with "google for families" the only option, and let's be honest, removing ADS it's not a real option (at least for me). Is to add the permission thingy:

<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>

However this may impact on what type of ads are shown and revenue (I guess...).

If your app is not actually for kids but for all ages you will need to weight if you:

a) go with the manifest declaration

b) make the app "not for kids"

:/

If you remove the AD_ID permission (which you must do to comply with the Family program), you must also change your declaration in the console that your app do no use the AD_ID.

Now you have removed the permission, but still declared that you will use it, that's why you get the latest notification.

Regarding the first notification you obviously seem to have filled in your Data Safety form that your app do not collect or share any data at all, this is of course not true (then no ads would even work). That's why you got that notification.

Here you can see what ADMOB collect: developers.google.com/admob/android/privacy/play-data-disclosure

Hello! Thank you for your response!

So now I have a release candidate with the permission removed. I got the red warning because I stated that I was using AD_ID in my past declaration (the one that got reject because it was not compliant)so I changed back the data safety to "no".

---Screen 1

Does your app collect or share any of the required user data types? No

Now I don't have the red warning but a yellow one:

But I'm still unable to submit it because it says I need to fix errors -.-

Now it states that you are using the AD_ID permission, but your declaration states that you don't. You must declare the permission if you use it, otherwise do not.

Also you must declare which data you share. Just like I wrote.

Now it states that you are using the AD_ID permission, but your declaration states that you don't. You must declare the permission if you use it, otherwise do not.

Also you must declare which data you share. Just like I wrote.

Hey Thank you for help!

I could finally sent it for review by additionally tapping on: policy and programmes -> app content -> actioned and added Advertising ID.

the app I'm submitting has the manifest with this :

​<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>

I added this to the Data safety:

---Screen 1

Does your app collect or share any of the required user data types? Yes

Encrypted? Yes

Are u following the Google family policy? Yes

---Screen 2

Device or other ID (ticked), others unchecked

---Screen 3 (Device or other IDS)

Collected, Shared (ticked)

Not processed ephemerally.

Data collection is required

(shared)Advertising or marketing (ticked)

(collected)Advertising or marketing (ticked)

Not sure If I will be rejected again. I'm confussed because the guy in the google forum told me:

"If you are only targeting children then you should include that line you said in your manifest but then update the data safety section because now you are no longer sending the device ID at all."

So I understood that I should state "no" to collect data in the form.

Maybe you have misunderstood the form. Collection of Device information is just a very small part of the form. Look into the link I posted above. Admob is collecting diagnostics, user interactions, localizations etc.

> > > Hello! How did you solve this problem?

> >

> >

> > Hey! I haven't solved this issue yet ^^U I tried by updating the data safety, but collecting any kind of data does not comply with "google for families", so it got REJECTED -.-. I don't want to be kicked of google for families because I have a kid's game, but also I cannot remove ads because it's my main monetization source.

> >

> > I tried with solution 2, which was editing the manifesto in android, and making a new release. I'm not sure this will work, and also now I have a discrepancy

> >

> > <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>

> >

> >

> >

> > My due date is november 4th, so I'm a little bit stuck, and wondering if anybody has the same issue and could fix it.

> >

> > Here's a link to my issue:

> > https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/thread/240600247?hl=en&sjid=9336640990544369031-EU

>

> I have practically the same problem. I have attached a link below to my post. My application is for all age groups, I do not have violence or other scenes, but it is not direct children's content, but just a business simulator. My game has a rating of 3+, and the settings indicate that the game is suitable for up to 5 years. I've already been rejected four times. And I'm afraid to do anything further.

>

> I have two options. The first is to make the game inaccessible until the age of 13, then the problem should be solved, but I don’t know how this will affect further promotion, and I’m also very confused by the inscription “GAME NOT FOR CHILDREN”.

>

> Or the option is to remove advertising, but this is also nonsense.

>

> Can you write your email? Maybe we can exchange screenshots in detail, etc.

>

> construct.net/en/forum/construct-3/general-discussion-7/app-rejected-advertising-id-179209

Hello!

So, as far as I understand being rejected while trying to fix it's okay. You won't get suspended by that (at least that's what I read).

So in your case... if you want to comply with "google for families" the only option, and let's be honest, removing ADS it's not a real option (at least for me). Is to add the permission thingy:

<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>

However this may impact on what type of ads are shown and revenue (I guess...).

If your app is not actually for kids but for all ages you will need to weight if you:

a) go with the manifest declaration

b) make the app "not for kids"

:/

Yes. Removing ads is not an option, it is 100%. Look, I understand that it’s all because of the GDPR, which has become mandatory in admob. Because of this window, data is sort of collected, which leads to our problem, I think.

I also found several actions, if we are talking about Construct, then in the advertising plugin you can select Tag Under Age of consent and Tag for child directed. Perhaps you can somehow configure these checkboxes, which will have a positive effect on the result? I don't fully understand what they do, but I'm looking into it, let me know if you have any ideas.

And the question is about removing the children's audience. What do you think this might affect? I think this will be my last resort and most likely I will have to use it. Because I don’t understand the option of getting into the code and manifest.

I also found a couple of links that can help us:

support.google.com/admob/answer/6223431

support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6048248

Maybe you have misunderstood the form. Collection of Device information is just a very small part of the form. Look into the link I posted above. Admob is collecting diagnostics, user interactions, localizations etc.

I believe most likely I will get rejected because I will need to tick other stuff ^^U

For me the issue and question is:

1) ticking the correct boxes, since the guideline is not 1 to 1 with the form. Like "IP address Collects device's IP address, which may be used to estimate the general location of a device." That means I'm collecting user's location I guess? Maybe? not 100% sure.

2) How this interact with my "google for families" thingy. Since I'm not supposed to collect data. But still Admob is supposed to be safe. So, the same way I declared

"<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>" should I add this for other permissions? :/

If you are using IAP a Admob etc you are sharing a lot of data with the vendors, otherwise the services would obviously not work. You share localization data. Diagnostic data. Interactions etc. It is not collected to you. But it is shared with the vendors. The Family program does not mean you are not allowed to share any data, this is a misunderstanding from your side.

tick this:

Does your app collect or share any of the required user data types? Yes

Is all of the user data collected by your app encrypted in transit? Yes

Do you provide a way for users to request that their data is deleted? No

Location > Approximate location

App activity > App interactions

App info and performance > Crash logs, Diagnostics

Why is this user data shared? > Advertising or marketing

You should remove the AD_ID permission, and declare that you do not use AD_ID.

Then you should be fine

If you are using IAP a Admob etc you are sharing a lot of data with the vendors, otherwise the services would obviously not work. You share localization data. Diagnostic data. Interactions etc. It is not collected to you. But it is shared with the vendors. The Family program does not mean you are not allowed to share any data, this is a misunderstanding from your side.

tick this:

Does your app collect or share any of the required user data types? Yes

Is all of the user data collected by your app encrypted in transit? Yes

Do you provide a way for users to request that their data is deleted? No

Location > Approximate location

App activity > App interactions

App info and performance > Crash logs, Diagnostics

Why is this user data shared? > Advertising or marketing

You should remove the AD_ID permission, and declare that you do not use AD_ID.

Then you should be fine

Thank you very much! It was heaven sent!

I have some questions, for each category (location, app interactions, performance, etc...)

I have an extra like this:

are those setting correct? collected, shared, not ephemarally, data collection is required and then Advertising or marketing.

Should I have device and other IDs as well?

Also for remove the AD_ID permission, If I remove it, should I be able to add in the manifest the <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove"/>? :/

You only need to select Shared, not collected.

Is this data collected, shared, or both? Shared

Is this data processed ephemerally? No