Late last year, Apple introduced a new policy in the App Store that requires developers to disclose the types of data their apps collect and how they use it. Google followed suit and announced a similar plan back in May, aiming to bring more transparency to apps on the Play Store. Now Google is sharing how the data safety widget will be displayed in the Play Store and encouraging developers to get a head start on their disclosure forms.

The mockups on Google's blog post show the data safety widget will appear just above the review score and contain expandable categories for different data types. Developers are expected to be explicit in the information they collect, down to individual details like a user's name, email address, location, or browsing activity; and they're also expected to indicate where and how that information is used, like if it will contribute to personalizing the user experience, fraud prevention, communication, etc.

While we're getting a good look at the data safety widget now, Google explained that it won't be displayed until February 2022. This period is intended to give developers plenty of time to work on their submissions and communicate with library developers and other organizations to ensure accurate information.

The form has already started rolling out in the Play Console, but may not be immediately available to all developers. Google provided some guidance for answering some questions and advises getting started early because the form can take a while to fill out; however, developers of multiple apps with similar data collection behavior will be able to download a profile that can pre-fill subsequent applications for a much faster process.

The data safety widget is scheduled to go live on the Play Store in February 2022, but developers still have two months before an approved disclosure form becomes a requirement in April. After that time, Google will restrict them from publishing app updates until a data safety form for that app is completed and approved.