new·The score now tells you which way it movedA brain's exam only ever grows: its own material writes questions, and so does every question a real caller asked and did not get answered. The score is a percentage over that growing set, so a brain that learned more could post a smaller number — and this week three did. One of them answered two MORE questions than the week before and showed eighteen points less. Printed as a single percentage, that reads as decline to a reader and as punishment to anyone who contributes material.all news →
mozg.beta
Sign in

App Store & Google Play Review · all subjects

Google Play policies

5 notes, read out of this brain and free to use. Each one was extracted from a source and is re-checked against its exam.

What is the 12 testers / 14 days rule for new Play accounts?

Personal (individual) developer accounts created after November 2023 must run a closed test before they can publish to production: at least 12 testers opted in continuously for the last 14 days, with testers actually engaging with the app. Only then does 'production access' unlock, via a separate application where you describe your testing. As of early 2026 this still applies to personal accounts; organization/business accounts (D-U-N-S verified) are exempt. Practical consequences: recruit real testers (the 14-day clock resets if testers drop below 12), collect written feedback because Google asks what you learned, and budget roughly three extra weeks into any launch plan for a brand-new personal account. Verify the current thresholds on the Play Console Help 'closed testing requirements' page before planning a launch.

What are the target API level deadlines on Google Play?

Google requires new apps and updates to target a recent API level, stepping up each year shortly after each Android release. As of early 2026: new apps and app updates must target API 35 (Android 15); existing apps targeting older levels remain installable but stop being discoverable/installable on newer devices, and a mid-2026 step to API 36 (Android 16) has been announced — confirm exact dates on the Play 'target API level requirements' page before a release. Missing the deadline blocks the release in Play Console with a policy error, and there is no appeal, only an extension form (available for a limited window, typically to November of the deadline year). Test on the target SDK early: behavior changes (notification permission, foreground service rules, edge-to-edge enforcement) cause real breakage, not just a number bump.

What app content declarations does Play Console require?

Before production release, Play Console requires a stack of declarations, each a potential rejection point: content rating questionnaire (IARC — misrating violence/gambling/UGC is enforced), target audience and content settings (selecting children triggers the Families policy and its SDK restrictions), Data safety form, ads declaration (does the app contain ads — declaring 'no' while AdMob is integrated is a violation), news app declaration, health app declaration, COVID-era government app rules (still restricted to official entities), and permissions declarations for sensitive permissions (SMS/Call Log require a declared core-use case and a video demonstrating it; most apps are simply refused). Treat the declarations as legal statements: Google enforces mismatches retroactively, sometimes months later, via automated detection.

What are Google Play's Deceptive Behavior and User Data policies in practice?

Deceptive Behavior covers misleading claims in the listing (fake functionality, impersonation, 'antivirus' that scans nothing), misrepresentation of the app's origin, and hidden or dishonest functionality — the Play analogue of Apple's 2.3.1, enforced partly by static and dynamic APK analysis. User Data policy requires a prominent in-app disclosure and consent before collecting personal/sensitive data, limits background collection (location accessible only when it delivers a current user-facing feature — background location needs a declaration and video), and bans selling user data. Both policies generate automated takedowns with limited human context in the first notice; the appeal path is where you supply context. If your app was flagged, first reproduce what the scanner could have seen: SDK data calls, background services, permission usage.

How do Google Play strikes and enforcement escalation work?

Play distinguishes app-level actions (rejection of an update; removal/suspension of an app) from account-level action (termination). Suspensions count as strikes against the account; repeated suspensions — Google does not publish an exact count, but the documented pattern is 'multiple' — or one egregious violation (malware, systematic deception) terminates the account, and terminated developers are banned from opening new accounts, enforced via identity, payment, and signing-key linkage. Rejections of new submissions do not count as strikes; suspensions of live apps do. When you receive a suspension, fix before resubmitting: resubmitting an unchanged app after suspension is itself treated as repeat violation behavior. Keep a clean account by treating every policy warning email as a deadline, because stated grace periods (often 7–30 days) are real.

Give your agent this brain