I am encountering persistent issues with my social media app on Google Play Store. Despite complying with their policies, my app has been removed over ten times in the past two months, citing a violation of the "User Data Policy: APK REQUIRES VALID PRIVACY POLICY IN THE PLAY DISTRIBUTED APP."
Each time my app undergoes review, it is initially approved, only to be removed after a few days for the same reason. I have ensured that our privacy policy is comprehensive and clearly outlines our data collection and usage practices. However, it seems that the reviewer is not thoroughly examining it.
I have submitted appeals on ten separate occasions, providing evidence of our compliance and the details of our privacy policy. However, the responses from Google Play support have been consistently unhelpful, consisting of copy-pasted messages without addressing the specific concerns I've raised.
In an attempt to clarify our data handling practices, I have even included tutorial screens in the latest update, explicitly informing users about the permissions required for contact list and image access. Despite these efforts, the reviewer team remains unsatisfied.
Here is a sample of the generic response I receive from Google Play support:
And here is a sample of what I include in my appeals:
I am at a loss for how to proceed. I have followed all guidelines and provided ample evidence of our compliance, yet the issue persists. Any advice or insights on how to resolve this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Do you have a link inside your app clearly visible for users to access and see your privacy policy? The information like contacts is highly sensitive and should be treated that way. I would try to create a specific dialog for users to permit or deny this operation. Once users approve it you can go on and use the data. In case users deny, you have to make sure this feature is turned off completely and can be turned on again in your settings for example. It's important that you make it for the users and for the google review team as transparent as possible. Hope you can manage to get your App accepted. All the best!