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We have an android app in Google Play that keeps getting removed for violating the Spyware policy. This is because our app uploads the users’ Contact List and according to Google this is done without a “prominent disclosure”, but we do in fact display a disclosure, according to our understanding of the guidelines (link Google Guide)

The disclosure that is displayed on the app before obtaining and storing the users’ Contacts List is the following:

“ stores the name, phone number, email and birthday of your Contact List to allow you to select those who are sent gifts and notify them via Whatsapp, SMS and/or email. This data is stored on our servers and in the app itself. does not communicate, transmit or assign this data to third parties, under any circumstances. Do you accept the use of your Contact List for this purpose?" (English translation)

screenshot here

Here is a video showing it.

We submitted an appeal, as we don’t understand why it’s being taken down again, but the only response we received is the following:

“Your App bundle version: is uploading users' Contact List information without a prominent disclosure. We weren't able to see a prominent disclosure in your App bundle version: .”

What could be missing in our "prominent disclosure"? We thought perhaps it’s because the disclosure is in a modal and not fullscreen, could this be the case?

fvildoso
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    Note: [Are developer-centric questions about application stores on topic?](https://meta.stackoverflow.com/q/272165/295004) and [Why can't I ask customer service-related questions on Stack Overflow?](https://meta.stackoverflow.com/q/255745/295004). – Morrison Chang May 24 '22 at 22:56
  • May [this answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/75149753/2289835) help you. – Rumit Patel Mar 15 '23 at 10:15

1 Answers1

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You can try to submit the app again and add a link to a video showing your consent screen (hosted on YouTube or Google Drive) in the Permissions Declaration Form [1]:

When completing the permissions declaration form in Play Console, you can provide a link to a short video to help Google evaluate your app’s prominent disclosure. A YouTube link is the preferred video format, but a Google Drive storage that links to an mp4 or other common video file format is also supported.

Based on our on research on Google's Prominent Disclosure Requirement [2], most rejections happen from:

  • Missing Agree and Decline buttons. Text for buttons must be clear and you must present both options.
  • Unclear text around permissions. Example of a text format suggested by Google: [This app] collects/transmits/syncs/stores [type of data] to enable ["feature"], [in what scenario]

[1] https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/11150561?hl=en#submitting-your-app-in-play-console&zippy=%2Cuser-experience%2Cuser-interface-ui%2Ccontent%2Csubmitting-your-app-in-play-console

[2] https://www.termsfeed.com/blog/google-prominent-disclosure-requirement/

TermsFeed
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