Hi developers at CompanyName,



After review, AppName, com.CompanyName.Appname, has been removed from Google Play due to a policy violation. This app won’t be available to users until you submit a compliant update.



Issue: Violation of Usage of Android Advertising ID policy and section 4.8 of the Developer Distribution Agreement



Google Play requires developers to provide a valid privacy policy when the app requests or handles sensitive user or device information. We’ve identified that your app collects and transmits the Android advertising identifier, which is subject to a privacy policy requirement. If your app collects the Android advertising ID, you must provide a valid privacy policy in both the designated field in the Play Console, and from within the app.



Next steps: Submit your app for another review



Read through the Usage of Android Advertising ID and User Data policies, as well as the Developer Distribution Agreement , and make appropriate changes to your app. If you decide to collect sensitive user information, be sure to abide by the above policies, and include a link to a valid privacy policy on your app's store listing page and within your app. Make sure that your app is compliant with all other Developer Program Policies . Additional enforcement could occur if there are further policy violations. Sign in to your Play Console and submit the update to your app.



If approved, your app will again be available with all installs, ratings, and reviews intact.



If you’ve reviewed the policy and feel this removal may have been in error, please reach out to our



Thanks for helping us provide a clear and transparent experience for Google Play users.



Regards,



Jared Alternatively, you may opt-out of this requirement by removing any requests for sensitive permissions or user data.If approved, your app will again be available with all installs, ratings, and reviews intact.If you’ve reviewed the policy and feel this removal may have been in error, please reach out to our policy support team . One of my colleagues will get back to you within 2 business days.Thanks for helping us provide a clear and transparent experience for Google Play users.Regards,Jared Click to expand...

Hi developers at CompanyName,

Thanks for contacting the Google Play team.



Status: App not available on Google Play



I’ve reviewed your appeal request and found that your app still violates Google Play Policy. I’ve included details below about the specific issue with your app and what you can do to get your app back on Google Play.



Step 1: Fix the policy violation with your app



During review, we found that your app, AppName(com.CompanyName.AppName), violates the



If your app’s collection of IMEI is unrelated to functionality described prominently in the app’s listing on Google Play or in the app interface, then prior to the collection and transmission, it must prominently highlight how the user data will be used and have the user provide affirmative consent for such use.



Please update your app to fix this issue by following the steps below:

During review, we found that your app, AppName(com.CompanyName.AppName), violates the Usage of Android Advertising ID policy. We determined that your app’s attribution SDK enables collection of IMEI from devices which have an Android advertising ID without prominent disclosure . You must be transparent in how you handle this data, including by disclosing the collection, use, and sharing of the data, and you must limit use of the data to the description in the disclosure and within your app’s privacy policy.If your app’s collection of IMEI is unrelated to functionality described prominently in the app’s listing on Google Play or in the app interface, then prior to the collection and transmission, it must prominently highlight how the user data will be used and have the user provide affirmative consent for such use.Please update your app to fix this issue by following the steps below:

Read through the Android Advertising ID User Data and Personal and Sensitive Information policy pages for more details and examples of common violations. Make changes to your app to bring it into compliance: Modify your app to meet privacy policy, prominent disclosure requirements for handling of personal or sensitive user data. If you want to using Android Advertising ID, you should post a privacy policy in both the designated field in the Play Console and within the app itself. The privacy policy must, together with any in-app disclosures, comprehensively disclose how your app collects, uses, and shares user data. Your privacy policy must disclose the type of parties to which any personal or sensitive user data is shared.

Double check that your app complies with all other Developer Program Policies as additional enforcement could occur if there are further policy violations. Step 2: Submit your app for another review



Be sure to increment the version number of the APK. Sign in to your Play Console and upload the modified, policy compliant APK. Submit your app. If approved, your app will again be available with all installs, ratings, and reviews intact.



This removal doesn't impact the standing of your Google Play Developer Account, but repeated violations can result in the suspension of this app or your Google Play Developer account.



Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for working with us to fix the policy issue and for your continued support of Google Play.



Best Regards,

Irene

The Google Play Team Click to expand...

So, I understand, if I add a privacy policy on the store and inside the App, it will be up again soon. However I'd really rather not have to do that. But even if I have to, I'd like to know what's actually going on with my app.



I really don't understand why this is happening as I'm not collecting any data, using no ads and no analytics. Does Unity by default collect this "Android Advertising ID" whenever you build a project with it? If so, does that mean than from now on, absolutely any App I create with Unity will need to include a Privacy Policy saying it uses such things? And if that is so... why did only 1 of my apps get removed from the store?



Hope someone knows what's going on, I'm really confused.



Thank you.