Is a web-based account deletion URL mandatory for Google Play compliance?

Yes. Google Play policy requires a publicly accessible web URL so users can delete their account and associated data without having the app installed.

Does Meeu collect or sell user-uploaded photos to third parties?

No. Meeu processes media on-device or via ephemeral edge workers with zero third-party data selling or tracking.

Play Store Data Safety & Privacy Compliance Guide for Modern Mobile Apps

Key Architectural Takeaways

Apps targeting API 35/36 must declare READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED to allow users to select individual photos instead of granting broad storage access.

Google Play policy strictly demands an external, unauthenticated web URL for account and data deletion requests.

On-device local AI processing (pose estimation, template rendering) must be declared as non-collected data in the Play Console Data Safety form.

All network communications require TLS 1.3 with certificate pinning to prevent MITM exposure.

The 2026 Google Play Policy Landscape

Google Play has significantly raised the compliance bar for mobile applications. Any application offering user registration or processing personal media must provide transparent disclosures. Failure to provide a verified web account deletion URL or misrepresenting runtime permissions leads to automated pre-launch rejection or policy strikes.

Migrating to READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED

Under Target SDK 36, broad storage access permissions (READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE) are obsolete and rejected. Applications must implement the Android 14 Photo Picker or declare READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED. This empowers the user to grant temporary, isolated read access to specific gallery assets without granting the app access to their entire photo album.

Architecting the Mandatory Public Deletion Portal

Google Play mandates a dual-path deletion model: users must be able to delete their account directly within the app (Settings > Account > Delete Account) AND via an external public web page (e.g. /account-deletion). The web portal must provide granular deletion scopes (full purge vs media only), explicit statutory retention disclosures, and clear warnings regarding store subscriptions.

Accurately Declaring SDKs in Play Console

Every third-party SDK—including Firebase Authentication, RevenueCat, and Crashlytics—must be inventoried in the Play Console Data Safety form. All data in transit must be encrypted using TLS 1.3.