Posted by Tatiana van Maaren – International T&S Partnerships Lead, Privateness & Safety, and Roxanna Aliabadi Walker – Product Supervisor

At Google Play, we’re devoted to constructing consumer belief, particularly with regards to delicate permissions and your knowledge. We perceive that managing information and media permissions may be complicated, and customers usually fear about which information apps can entry. Since these information usually include delicate data like household pictures or monetary paperwork, it is essential that customers really feel in management. That’s why we’re working to supply clearer decisions, so customers can confidently grant permissions with out sacrificing app performance or their privateness.

Under are a set of finest practices to contemplate for bettering consumer belief within the sharing of broad entry information, finally resulting in a extra profitable and sustainable app ecosystem.

Prioritize consumer privateness with knowledge minimization

Constructing consumer belief begins with requesting solely the permissions important to your app’s core features. We perceive that pictures and movies are delicate knowledge, and broad entry will increase safety dangers. That is why Google Play now restricts READ_MEDIA_IMAGES and READ_MEDIA_VIDEO permissions, permitting builders to request them solely when completely vital, sometimes for apps like photograph/video managers and galleries.

Leverage privacy-friendly options

As a substitute of requesting broad storage entry, we encourage builders to make use of the Android Picture Picker, launched in Android 13. This device presents a privacy-centric manner for customers to pick particular media information with out granting entry to their whole library. Android photograph picker supplies an intuitive interface, together with entry to cloud-backed pictures and movies, and permits for personalisation to suit your app’s wants. As well as, this method picker is backported to Android 4.4, making certain a constant expertise for all customers. By eliminating runtime permissions, Android photograph picker simplifies the consumer expertise and builds belief by transparency.

Construct belief by clear knowledge practices

We perceive that some builders have traditionally used customized photograph pickers for tailor-made consumer experiences. Nevertheless, no matter whether or not you employ a customized or system picker, transparency with customers is essential. Customers need to know why your app wants entry to their pictures and movies.

Builders ought to attempt to supply clear and concise explanations inside their apps, ideally on the level the place the permission is requested. Take the next in consideration whereas crafting your permission request mechanisms as attainable finest practices pointers:

• When requesting media entry, present clear explanations inside your app. Particularly, inform customers which media your app wants (e.g., all pictures, profile photos, sharing movies) and clarify the performance that depends on it (e.g., ‘To decide on a profile image,’ ‘To share movies with pals’).
• Clearly define how consumer knowledge will probably be used and guarded in your privateness insurance policies. Clarify whether or not knowledge is saved domestically, transmitted to a server, or shared with third events. Reassure customers that their knowledge will probably be dealt with responsibly and securely.

Find out how Snap has embraced the Android System Picker to prioritize consumer privateness and streamline their media choice expertise. This is what they need to say about their implementation:

“One in all our targets is to supply a seamless and intuitive communication expertise whereas making certain Snapchatters have management over their content material. The brand new movement of the Android Picture Picker is the proper stability of offering consumer management of the content material they need to share whereas making certain quick communication with pals on Snapchat.”

– Marc Brown, Product Supervisor

Get began

Begin constructing a extra reliable app expertise. Discover the Android Picture Picker and implement privacy-first knowledge practices at present.

Acknowledgement

Particular because of: Could Smith – Product Supervisor, and Anita Issagholyan – Senior Coverage Specialist