Tag Archives: Permissions

Google says it’s rolling back its decision to remove a section from the Play Store that listed which permissions an app uses. The company had more or less replaced that info with its Data Safety section, which is supposed to give you an idea of what data apps are collecting and how that data is used. The problem, as several commentators pointed out, is that the information in the Data Safety section came from developers, whereas the app permissions section was generated by Google. By… Source link

Google said today it’s reinstating the app permissions list on the Play Store after initially removing them in place of Data Safety labels that rolled out earlier this month. However, the company didn’t specify when the permission section will be back on the Play Store. Google launched the Data Safety labels on Play Store in April after announcing them last year. Apple, on the other hand, launched its own data privacy labels in 2020 showing what data an app can… Source link

Earlier this year, the Google Play Store launched a new data privacy section that relies on developers to disclose the information their apps collect. But as pointed out by Esper senior editor Mishaal Rahman (via Ars Technica), this may mean that Google will no longer display a verified list of permissions it automatically gathers from each app, giving developers full control over what they choose (or don’t choose) to disclose to users. When Google first announced the new data privacy… Source link

I know backwards isn’t usually the recommended direction of travel when talking about privacy and security, and this move encompasses both, but this rewind is a most welcome one. Not just in practical terms, I should add, but also when it comes to perceptions. Optics are important, and Apple knows that better than most after some recent decisions that have had a negative impact on how users perceive them as a privacy-focused company. Google, for sure, still has plenty of distance to… Source link