Google Play Store warning for App targeted for children

How to address the below issue in my app which is for children, as sent by GooglePlay Store. What changes should I make in my app code.? Pleas help
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Google Play Store says this


I am unable to understand how to solve this. My app uses webviewer, YouTube links, and share email components, but I do not collect or store any information or use it otherwise. The app is targeted for small kids, its an educational app. TIA

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Hi @cseducator_mindchamp, thanks for asking these questions. The answer to most all of this likely lies in the fact that your app is using a webviewer and some of the default SDKs (software development kits) that all Thunkable apps inherently contain will not allow you to publish an app on the play store solely targeting children.

Using a webviewer, depending on the site(s) visited, those sites may collect and/or store data about the users visiting and this is what Google has flagged. There is no way to avoid this, even if the site(s) coded into your app are child friendly. Unfortunately, Google does tend to check and flag issues asynchronously–your app may be flagged after publication as well on a later version.

Because your app has a webviewer being generally used, your data safety form must include in your data safety form for publishing that your app does collect or share any of the required user data types and specifically Device or other IDs.

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Thanks so much for the reply @conroy33 . It is rather sad that we cannot do that, I hope to find a way out, the app is made by my 10 yr old student for his younger brother where he has put links to nursery rhymes etc, hence the use of webviewer etc, I am putting it as a solution but please message if there is a way out , Thanks a ton

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Hi @jane, Referring to my posts above Could you please confirm that we cannot publish an app solely made for children ( age below 13yrs) with Thunkable keeping in view the recent updates in Google policies. With all due respect to all Thunkable staff, I want to confirm this again because I will have to inform the same to my student that his app will be taken down from the Google Play Store. I would want to take any chance of hope if it can be avoided, as the child will be disappointed if the app goes down the PlayStore. Thank you in Advance.

Hi @cseducator_mindchamp, thanks for reaching out. At this current time, because of the permissions and SDK packages used to create Thunkable apps, they will not be eligible for the Google Play Families Policy.

Happy to discuss this further with you if needed!

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Thank you @matt_conroy for your time and reply. So even if we remove the web viewer / share component/ external links, then also it is not feasible to build an app which is eligible for Google Play Families Policy, is my understanding correct? TIA

@cseducator_mindchamp That is correct, yes.

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I published my App on the google. store a couple of weeks ago. I just received the following message from google Issue found: Families Data Practices/Your app may be removed from Google Play if you do not resolve the issue(s).

To my knowledge, I don’t collect or transmit any data.

Please find details in the screenshot attached

Thank you for your help.

There is a topic about this here:

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Thanks TIA for redirecting me to that post which is related to my topic. Is there a way to close this post and merge it with the other topic ?

Thank you

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@matt_conroy

Sir…can you please list specific components which I should not use in order to comply with family policy…

Is in app purchase okay?

Hi @appbaba, as stated previously in this post, any app published using the Thunkable platform will not be eligible for the Google Play Families policy.

Thank you for clarifying… it’s bummer for me. Anyways is Thunkable considering fixing this or it will always like this. Meaning asking for permission only what are needed.