If developers want their applications to make it into Google’s app store, Google Play, they have to make sure they adhere to the company’s policies. Google has policies on restricted content, intellectual property, privacy, security, ads, promotion, age-appropriate content, and updates. Violating any one of those policies could cause an app to be suspended or rejected.
(Related: Google releases third developer preview of Android Wear 2.0)
In an effort to help developers be successful, Google is providing 10 tips to staying on the right side of its policies:
- Review the policy center. Google provides everything a developer needs to know about the policies in an easy-to-use website. The site is organized into themes and tiles that detail each policy separately. In addition, it provides examples of what a violation looks like.
- Make sure to provide the right description for the app. If a developer provides excessive or irrelevant information, he or she will be facing a metadata policy violation. The description and translations of the description should be applicable to all audiences.
- Use well-suited and appropriately attributed images. Google suggests developers create their own images for their application in order to dodge any intellectual property problems. Developers will have to notify the app review team of any images they have been given permission to use.
- Provide an accurate rating for the app. If the app is not rated correctly (or at all), it will be removed from Google Play. There is an app rating questionnaire that will provide an accurate rating as long as the developer provides accurate responses, according to the company.
- Be mindful of user data. If an app is collecting personal user data, make sure they know through a private policy located in the description and the Google Play listing. Be transparent about the type of data the app is collecting and the reason for collecting that data.
- Ads have to adhere to policy also. The Google Play app reviewers also review ads and ad behavior within the app. Ads cannot include adult images or violence, and they should not disrupt a user’s experience, be deceptive, be hard to dismiss, or pop up after a user closes the app.
- Don’t forget about restricted content. Adult content, violence and drug use fall under the restricted content policy, and are not allowed in the app’s store listing. If the app is user-generated, make sure to take extra precautions, according to Google.
- Update e-mail preferences. Seems like a small task, but developers will want to make sure they can be contacted if any policy violations come up.
- Fix any issues. Once an app is published, be sure to fix any policy issues the Google app reviewers found with it to avoid suspension or rejection.
- Ask for help. Google has a policy support team on staff to go over any policy disagreements or trouble.