Google cracks down on location-tracking Android apps

Enlarge (credit: Ron Amadeo)

Alongside the launch of the Android 11 Developer Preview, Google announced a plan to crack down on Android apps that request the user's location in the background. Just as we saw with Google's pushback against apps that use the accessibility APIs for things that aren't accessibility related, Google will be flexing the power it has over the Play Store and manually reviewing apps that request location data in the background.

Writing about the new policy, Google says, "As we took a closer look at background location usage, we found that many of the apps that requested background location didn't actually need it. In fact, many of these apps could provide the same user experience by only accessing location when the app is visible to the user." The company says that apps on the Play Store will soon be evaluated by humans to see if the apps actually need the background location permissions they are requesting. Google lays out the following criteria for requesting background location:

Later this year, we will be updating Google Play policy to require that developers get approval if they want to access location data in the background. Factors that will be looked at include:

• Does the feature deliver clear value to the user?
• Would users expect the app to access their location in the background?
• Is the feature important to the primary purpose of the app?
• Can you deliver the same experience without accessing location in the background?

All apps will be evaluated against the same factors, including apps made by Google, and all submissions will be reviewed by people on our team.

The blog post also lists a timeline for the new location rules:

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