Google Play Store has decided to ban all “Sugar Dating” apps from its marketplace starting September 1. This new ban was revealed in conjunction with a slew of other changes that Google posted on its help page. The prohibition on “Sugar Dating” applications is part of the government’s new sexual content limits. Not only that, the Google Play Store is also testing app set IDs, introducing a new Family Policy, and upgrading its present Enforcement policy. All these policies, among others like Device and Network Abuse policy, permissions policy, and more, will all come into effect from September 1 onwards.
Google’s new policy changes in the Play Store were announced in a post on the Google Play Console’s help page. There is an extended range of policy changes included in the post. Still, one of the most significant is the restriction on applications that deal with “compensated sexual relationships,” popularly known as sugar dating. Google has implemented a blanket ban on sexual content and is amending its inappropriate content policy to renew the prohibition. As a result, apps like SDM, Spoil, and Sugar Daddy, which are still available on the Google Play Store, will be subject to the ban.
“As a platform, we are always excited to support our developer partners, but we also work hard to provide a safe experience for users. We have updated our inappropriate content policy to prohibit apps that facilitate sexual acts in exchange for compensation following feedback we received from NGOs, governments, and other user advocacy groups concerned with user safety. This aligns our policies with other Google policies and industry norms,” an Android Police report quoted Google as saying.
Several changes will take effect on September 1. A developer preview of app set ID for analytics or fraud prevention is one of the new features. In addition, Google is tightening up its Family Policy rules for identifiers used in apps aimed towards minors. It also states that developers must comply with the policy change by September 1, except for the ad ID changes. In addition, the company’s Enforcement policy has been updated to include a new section that would close inactive or abandoned developer accounts after they have been dormant for more than one year, among other things.
Google is also changing policies, such as the inappropriate content policy. On September 15, Google Play Store will amend its financial services policy to “clarify the concept of the entire amount of the loan and require all personal loan applications to be properly labeled under the Finance category.” In nations like India and Indonesia, Google is also introducing new requirements for personal loan applications.
The Play Store Listing and Promotion Policy will be amended on September 29 to prohibit the use of unnecessary text and visuals in-app titles, icons, and developer names. Furthermore, on October 4, Google will update its ad policy to reflect changes to the Android advertising ID’s use.
In addition, a new user data policy prohibits the connection of persistent device identifiers to personal or sensitive data. This modification will come into effect on October 28 and will include a new section on privacy and data security in the user data policy.
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Kishor Kumar
Full Stack Technical Lead
A well-versed Senior Full Stack Developer who has the expertise of providing front-end and back-end development services. He is an effective and efficient personnel who knows how to make the right technical decisions at the right time. He understands the basics of working collaboratively with stakeholders, engineers, executives, and end-users to bring the ideas to life. He is a top-performer and motivator who has the added advantage of technology as leverage to achieve timely results.
