Policy Declaration - Data Safety Section: Personal Info Data Type - Email Address - Google play

Question

Issue found: Invalid Data safety form

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We found an issue in the following area(s):

SPLIT_BUNDLE : Policy Declaration - Data Safety Section: Personal Info Data Type - Email Address

I recently received this from google about my Android app. I understand I have to declare what data we collect etc and how to do this in the Data Safety form. The problem is, my app does not collect email address at all and I have no intention of doing so. Google didn't explain where in my app's code or imported libraries that email address collection may be occurring - so I am at a total loss as to why they believe I'm collecting email addresses.

My app does use some libraries which could in theory collect emails - like 'com.android.billingclient', 'com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics' and 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics'; but I cannot find anywhere where they state this information is collected. I've checked all the SDKs that we use in the Google Play SDK Index and of those which post the data safety information, none collect it.

I have told this to google and they just responded with the same warning, no help there.

This currently leaves me 2 options:

1. Add that my app collects Email Addresses, when it doesn't, to the Data Safety section of my app - but I do not want to tell users I collect something that I don't. I would possibly have to declare in-app that I collect something that I do not.
2. Do nothing and likely get kicked off the Play Store.

Any suggestions?

I expect google not to tell me about this in the first place.

Wittol

I had the same thing as well. In my case it could also be because the username I provided to use the app is coincidentally an email address, and it is entered in a form, and they false flagged it. Did you get this resolved? – Scheming

We removed the library com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics and submitted it again. We are not entirely sure that this is what flagged it mind, we did contact support who were not that helpful and asked them to review it. Sorry I cannot be of more help, check your libraries perhaps? If that doesn't work contact google and tell them you are not collecting emails. – Wittol

thanks, I figured as much with support, but I needed this update our this weekend. I just added that email data type and Google approved it minutes later – Scheming

Having the same problem. These app stores both in Google and Apple are ridiculous. Their help desk never replies with something meaningful. They have been replying with same copy/paste replies. Ive asked them proof of this but they just kept on sending back same copy/paste email. It makes me stop using those app stores altogether. – Threlkeld

@Scheming +1 mentioned data type – Equisetum