Incident #65F51D · 30 OCT 2026minor
Google Play tightens developer rules on location, contacts, storage and accessibility permissions, with dated deadlines
Google Play's policy now lists 2027 effective dates for stricter permission rules: the Android location button for one-off location requests, the Contact Picker for apps without a core need for broad contacts access, and Play Console declarations for fine location, manage contacts and local network permissions. It also adds a rule that AppFunctions must not deceive or manipulate AI agents, spells out Accessibility API restrictions, and bans manipulating Play review. These are developer-facing rules; users mainly benefit from tighter limits on app data access. Several of these points (location button, contact picker, no autonomous-agent use of Accessibility API) were already announced or partly present in the old text.
Taken from you
- Developers lose some broad permission access without a Play Console declaration
Won back
- Apps targeting Android 17 must use the location button for one-off location requests, and apps targeting Android 17 must submit a declaration to use the local network permission.
- Explicit ban on deceiving AI agents or bypassing security controls through AppFunctions
- Attempts to manipulate Play review processes are now explicitly prohibited in the deceptive behaviour summary.
Evidence · 4 of 4 quotes matched in source
Apps targeting Android 17 (API 37+) must use the Android location button for one-off or infrequent location requests.+ inserted · ✓ matched in source
The Accessibility API is prohibited from being used to bypass Android security and privacy controls, record remote call audio or power autonomous decision-making agents.+ inserted · ✓ matched in source
Developers must ensure that their AppFunctions do not deceive or manipulate AI agents, bypass security controls or interfere with other applications.+ inserted · ✓ matched in source
Attempts to manipulate Play review processes, including misleading reviewers as to the purpose and functionality of your apps, are strictly prohibited.+ inserted · ✓ matched in source
Archived version ↗ · 1,306 words changed