Google Play Pre-Launch Report Getting Security and Trust Anomalous Permission Usage issue on play billing library

Question

When Uploaded App in Google play getting privacy issue in pre-launch report, how to get resolve this issue.

Hazlett

This is true, I tried removing 'com.android.vending.BILLING' from manifest and rebuilding the project. As noted in: developer.android.com/google/play/billing/… Still, the final merged AndroidManifest.xml contains this permission. – Aerometry

Looks like new auto review feature from google play store team – Alonso

Answer 1

this is as a result of automatic comparison with similar apps, if you are sure that you are using IAP correctly do not worry about it and continue and way.

Leboeuf

Interesting that this "warning" displaying like Error with red color :-/ – Alonso

Answer 2

I've fixed this by researching merged manifest, text file which located in app\build\intermediates\manifest_merge_blame_file\{flavorBuildType}\manifest-merger-blame-{flavor}-{buildType}-report.txt

In this file we can see all permissions which are available in our compiled build + library which is bring this permission to merged permission list.

You can easily find which library brings permission which invoke the warning from play market:

In my case it was unused library, so as a result I've just removed unused library.

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Also anouther solution - check newest version of the library and try to update (and check permissions with new library), for example in oldest version of dji sdk there is a lot of system permissions, but in new version the list was cleanuped.

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Also you can remove the permission from thrird party libraries like:

<uses-permission
        android:name="com.android.vending.BILLING"
        tools:node="remove" />

But in this case ^ some part of functionality can be restricted.

Alonso

Answer 3

Clean and Rebuild your project and Add this line in your Manifest file.

<uses-permission
        android:name="com.android.vending.BILLING"
        tools:node="remove" />

Furthermore,

1. Delete and Clear all the Caches from the Users Profile folders located in your system .android and .gradle Located: C:\Users\DELL\.android

2. Update and Download the latest SDK from the SDK Manager and delete the older, unused ones.

3. Update Gradle Wrapper.

   distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.3-all.zip

Hottempered

In my case (using Xamarin Android) adding 'tools:node="remove"' did remove the issue in the pre-lauch report. However it also made the purchase option unusable in my published app (error message: 'This version of the application is not configured for billing through google play'). So for now I removed the line and will keep the issue in the pre-lauch report. – Millen