While the Play Store usually gets more billing, the Chrome Web Store serves an equally large audience and is full of many useful apps and extensions. Google is updating the User Data Policy for the store with more stronger policies in regards to user data.
The new policies focus on making sure people know how their data is being used by apps and extensions. The new User Data Policy extends existing policies and has an emphasis on transparency and keeping users informed. Some of the new requirements for developers:
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Be transparent about the handling of user data and disclose privacy practices
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Post a privacy policy and use encryption, when handling personal or sensitive information, and
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Ask users to consent to the collection of personal or sensitive data via a prominent disclosure, when the use of the data isn’t related to a prominent feature.
Furthermore, developers are prohibited from collecting browsing data that is not required for their app’s main purpose. Google posted a FAQ and the full text is available in the Developer Program Policies.
Google will begin notifying violators and developers have until July 14 to make changes. The day after, apps and extensions found in violation will be removed from the web store until they are fully compliant.
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