Google is dragging its feet with updating its apps with the new App Store privacy labels [u]

Google to this date hasn’t updated any of its iPhone or iPad apps with the new App Store privacy “nutrition labels” since the new App Privacy feature section has gone live last month.

UPDATE: Google told TechCrunch that it’s not taking a stand against the labels. Quite the contrary, the company will roll out privacy labels across its iOS apps “as soon as this week or the next.” The publication also noted that other several other big app makers, including Amazon and Pinterest, have yet to update their apps with privacy labels. The original article continues below.

These privacy labels are now mandatory and the only way to avoid showing them is to not update your app. For context, Google has last updated its major iOS apps on December 7, 24 hours before the new rules would come into effect.

Fast Company has the story:

By getting in all its existing apps’ updates on or before December 7, Google has managed to avoid filling out a privacy label for any of their apps so far. You can verify this yourself by launching the App Store app on your iPhone, selecting any Google-owned app in the store, and then checking its privacy label on the app’s listing. As of the time of this writing, you’ll see every Google app’s privacy label still reads, ‘No Details Provided’. The developer will be required to provide privacy details when they submit their next app update.

Apple on November 5 emailed its registered developer to let them know that they can submit privacy details for their apps, adding that these privacy “nutrition labels” will be required for new apps or updates submitted beginning December 8, 2020.

The App Privacy details section on the App Store pages was designed for people to see how their personal data is being used by any one app. Section such as Data Used to Track You, Data Linked to You, Data Not Linked to You and others give privacy-minded customers the information they need to determine whether to download an app or not. Apple has clarified that developers self-report their privacy practices, including data collection that is used to track you across companies. Developers also must clarify if any particular data type is linked to the user’s identity via their account, device or other details.

Apple’s even promised to hold itself to the same standard as third-party developers, confirming that it will be showing privacy labels for its own apps that are available on the App Store. And for preinstalled apps, this same information will be available on Apple.com.

The App Store privacy labels were first announced back at the June 2020. For clarification, these new labels are required for all the iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and tvOS App Stores.