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Attention, developers! Google Play's photo permission policy has taken effect, and 80% of non-compliant applications are being removed from the shelf!
2025-06-05
Article Summary: May 28, 2025 | Google Play photo and video access permissions will be enforced! More than 80% of applications are delisted in batches due to non-compliance. Developers have two options: submit a statement or use the system photo selector. Privacy protection has become an irreversible trend, and overseas developers must respond urgently.
The seeds of policy sown two years ago have now borne harsh fruit. On May 28, 2025, Google Play's " Photo and video access ”.The policy will take effect officially, and all non-compliant apps will face the risk of being removed from Google Play.
This policy, which was first announced in October 2023, entered the mandatory enforcement phase after a 19-month grace period. According to internal statistics from Google Play, as of before the effective date, more than 80% of applications had not yet fully complied, involving tens of thousands of developers and covering multiple fields such as social networking, e-commerce, tools, content aggregation, etc.
The removal of non-compliant applications means that the developers' initial investment may be wasted, and problems such as user loss and damage to brand reputation will follow.
01 Policy core, two paths of choice
The core of this new policy, which has caused a stir in the industry, is to strictly limit applications' access to photos and videos on users' devices. Photos and videos on user devices are defined by Google as personal sensitive data that require the highest level of privacy protection.
The policy provides two paths for developers:
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Apply for Permission Qualification
Suitable for social, communication, photo or video editing applications, and other scenarios that require extensive access, such as user-generated content platforms (UGC), image search functions, QR code scanners, etc.
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Delete Permissions
Apps that use photo and video permissions infrequently or one-time must remove the READ_MEDIA_IMAGES or READ_MEDIA_VIDEO permission and switch to the Android Photo Picker.
Google clearly stated on the support page that "Android photo selector is an ideal way to protect users and applications". It allows users to authorize applications to access specific files rather than the entire media library without additional storage permissions.
02 Policy background, the inevitable trend of user privacy protection
This policy is not a sudden move. Its origin can be traced back to the Photo Picker API launched when Android 13 was released in 2022. At that time, Google had already expressed its intention to tighten the management of system read and write permissions.
The increasing awareness of user privacy is an important driving force for the introduction of policies. Pew Research data in 2024 showed that 43% of users would actively uninstall applications with excessive rights. Google's policy adjustment this time is a response to such user needs.
"Photos and videos on user devices are personal data and sensitive data," Google stressed in its policy statement, "and processing this type of data should follow the best practices for the strictest privacy protection."
In the mobile Internet industry, permission abuse has become one of the main threats to user trust. Google's heavy-handed crackdown this time is aimed at rebuilding users' trust in the Android ecosystem.
03 Compliance requirements, clear timelines and strict reviews
Google has given developers plenty of time to adapt to the new policy:
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October 2023 : Policy first announced
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September 18, 2024 : Start to prompt developers to submit the declaration form
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October 31, 2024 : All developers must submit a declaration form
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January 22, 2025 : Those who have not applied for an extension must be 100% compliant
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May 28, 2025 : Final deadline, non-compliant apps will be removed directly
For apps that need to retain broad permissions, the review requirements are extremely strict. Developers must submit a declaration form containing screenshots of features, detailed descriptions of user scenarios, and explanations of the data lifecycle. Google specifically requires reference to GDPR standards to explain how user data is stored, used, and deleted.
It is not easy to apply for an extension. Google only accepts applications for extensions due to objective reasons such as "technical architecture restructuring", and developers need to submit detailed transformation plans and schedules. Applications for extensions due to negligence or failure to pay attention to policy changes will basically be rejected.
04 Industry Impact, Developers Face Multiple Challenges
The policy has taken effect and has had an immediate impact:
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Technical restructuring pressure
Many applications need to refactor the photo access module. A typical case is that a popular tool application in the overseas market was collectively complained by users because it used extensive permissions for single image upload, and users mistakenly believed that the application would access the entire media library. Finally, the application was forcibly removed by Google, and the number of users dropped sharply.
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Market landscape changes
About 23% of long-tail tool applications were forced to exit the market because they could not afford the compliance costs. At the same time, the competitive advantage of vertical head applications has expanded, and the compliance costs have been converted into service premiums.
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User Behavior Migration
According to Google's official data, the authorization rate of applications using photo selectors has increased by 37%. The "privacy-friendly" label is becoming a new keyword for ASO optimization.
A developer of an image format conversion app said on social media: "We spent three months refactoring the code and replacing the entire media access module. But user reviews have improved significantly, making it worth the investment." This confirms Google's internal statistics - the average rating of fully compliant apps has increased by 0.8 stars.
05 Global Trends, Privacy Protection Becomes Industry Standard
Google's policy adjustment is not an isolated event, but part of the global trend of privacy protection:
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Third-party store follow-up
Industry observers expect that third-party app stores such as Huawei and Xiaomi will likely introduce similar policies in the near future, forming a trend of compliance across the industry.
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EU dual regulation
The EU DSA bill and Google policies form a dual regulatory framework, which imposes higher compliance requirements on overseas developers. Applications that fail to meet multiple regulations will face multiple penalties.
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Technical Standard Upgrade
The popularity of the Android photo picker will drive standardization of cross-platform privacy protection technologies. Google has backported the feature to Android 4.4, covering the vast majority of devices.
"User privacy protection has become an infrastructure requirement for application development, rather than an optional feature," a compliance expert pointed out. "Compliance costs will eventually be converted into user trust assets, which is a necessary stage for the maturity of the mobile application market."
06 Response Strategy, Developer's Survival Guide
In the face of the new policy environment, developers can adopt the following strategies:
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Permission Self-Check and Scenario Classification
Check immediately whether the READ_MEDIA permission is requested in non-essential scenarios. For one-time operation scenarios such as avatar upload, switch to system selector. At the same time, check whether the permission description in the application description is clear and explicit.
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Key Decision Making
Determine whether the app needs to access the album continuously. If so, prepare the statement form materials immediately; if not, remove the permission and integrate the photo selector immediately. Google has provided detailed documentation for accessing the photo selector.
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User communication upgrade
The permission request copy should specifically explain the use case, such as "To generate a travel video, please select up to 10 photos (we will not store your other pictures)." When users reject permissions, clear guidance should be provided: "You can upload single images at any time through the system photo selector."
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Privacy by Design
Privacy protection should be considered in the early stages of application design, and the "principle of least privilege" should be adopted. This not only meets compliance requirements, but also reduces the risk of data leakage and related legal risks.
The market reshuffle has begun. Developers who view compliance as a burden are being eliminated, while top applications with sufficient compliance resources are turning privacy protection into a competitive advantage and winning user trust. Google's internal data shows that the average user ratings of fully compliant applications have increased by 0.8 stars, which directly translates into an increase in store exposure and downloads.
The Android ecosystem is undergoing a silent revolution, and privacy protection is no longer an option but a survival bottom line. Compliance capabilities have become a must-have skill for overseas developers, and users' choices are clear - between privacy and convenience, they are voting with downloads.
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