Posted by Tatiana van Maaren – World T&S Partnerships Lead, Privateness & Safety, Might Smith – Product Supervisor, and Anita Issagholyan – Coverage Lead
With tens of millions of builders counting on our platform, Google Play is dedicated to retaining our ecosystem protected for everybody. That’s why, along with our ongoing investments in app privateness and safety, we additionally constantly replace our insurance policies to answer new challenges and person expectations.
For instance, we lately launched a new account deletion coverage with required disclosures inside the Information Security part on the Play Retailer. Deleting an account needs to be as straightforward as creating one, so the brand new coverage requires builders to supply info and internet assets that assist customers to handle their knowledge and perceive an app’s deletion practices.
That can assist you construct belief and design a user-friendly expertise that helps meet our coverage necessities, contemplate these 5 greatest practices when implementing your account deletion resolution.
1. Make it seamless
Customers desire a easy and easy account deletion stream. Though customers know that extra steps could comply with (reminiscent of authentication) navigating a number of screens earlier than the deletion web page is usually a important barrier and create destructive emotions for the person. Contemplate offering your account deletion possibility on an account settings web page or place a outstanding button on the house display screen. Design the stream with discoverability in thoughts by taking the person on to the deletion course of.
2. Enable computerized deletion
Customers really feel that if they’ll create an account with out speaking to a customer support agent, they need to be capable of delete their account on-line, too. If automation will not be in your roadmap simply but, contemplate a step-by-step deletion request kind or a devoted web page to attach customers with buyer assist.
3. Supply steering and clarify potential implications
Customers delete their accounts for varied causes, a few of which can be higher resolved one other method. Early in your deletion stream, level your customers towards a Assist Heart article that explains how your deletion course of works in easy phrases, together with any potential penalties. For instance, make it clear in case your customers might want to pause their fee technique earlier than deleting the account, or obtain any account knowledge they need to hold. Serving to your customers perceive the method prematurely can stop unintentional deletions. For many who do change their minds, contemplate providing a option to get better their accounts inside an inexpensive timeframe.
Right here’s an instance of how Play Retailer Developer, Canva, has designed the in-app deletion stream to clarify potential penalties of account deletion:
“Person knowledge privateness has all the time been vital for us. We’ve all the time been intentional about our strategy in optimizing the Canva app so our customers can have extra transparency and management over their knowledge. We’re welcoming these new necessities from the Play retailer as we all know this new stream will elevate customers’ belief in our app and profit our enterprise in the long run.” – Will Currie, Software program Engineer, Canva
4. Verify account deletion
Typically customers misunderstand whether or not the account itself or simply knowledge collected by the app was deleted within the deletion course of. Customers usually suppose that the info your app saved within the cloud will robotically be deleted similtaneously account deletion. Since it might take time to take away account knowledge from inside firm methods or adjust to knowledge retention necessities in numerous areas, transparency in regards to the course of may help you keep belief in your model and make it extra seemingly for customers to return sooner or later.
Right here’s SYBO Video games, has designed their internet deletion in-app deletion stream:
“We’re all the time striving to make sure that our video games present a enjoyable person expertise, constructed on a strong knowledge safety basis. After we realized in regards to the new account deletion replace on Google Play, we thought this was a terrific step ahead to make sure that all the developer ecosystem optimizes for person security. We encourage builders to carve out time to embrace these enhancements and prioritize common privateness check-ins.” – Elizabeth Ann Schweitzer, Video games Compliance Supervisor, SYBO Video games
5. Don’t overlook person engagement
This can be a nice alternative to attach together with your customers at a crucial second. Ensure that customers who’ve uninstalled your app can simply take away their accounts by means of an internet useful resource without having to reinstall the app. You can even invite them to finish a survey or present suggestions on their determination.
Defending customers’ knowledge is crucial for constructing belief and loyalty. By updating the Information Security part on Google Play and persevering with to optimize person expertise for account deletion, you’ll be able to strengthen belief in your organization whereas striving for the very best stage of person knowledge safety.
Thanks on your continued collaboration and suggestions in growing this knowledge transparency characteristic and in serving to make Google Play protected for all.