Google Play console Does your app use advertising ID?

Question

Recently, I got this message from google in the google play console:

"Until you complete this section, you can't target Android 13
Help us understand whether your app uses advertising ID. You will not be able to submit releases targeting Android 13 until you complete this section."

Admob is integrated in my app.

the question is: how to know if my app is using advertising ID or not?

Edited to make it clear: in the console, there is a new tab for advertising ID as below

and for sure in this tab a consequent questions:

So, what is the right answer assuming (Admob , crashlytics ) are used in my app?

Dimity

Answer 1

Since I use SDK 33 and GMA SDK upper then version 20.3.0 the answer is "YES" -> Did anyone understand what is the answer to the next following question that appears afterward?

I got an answer from google - I think that the correct answer is to choose only "advertising" -> I am not sure if to choose also "Analytics", I do not use firebase.

Full answer from google: "All developers that have an app published on Google Play must complete the Data safety form, including apps on internal, closed, open, or production testing tracks.

Even developers with apps that do not collect any user data are required to complete this form and provide a link to their privacy policy. In this case, the completed form and privacy policy can indicate that no user data is collected or shared.

For ads - For example, displaying ads in your app, sending push notifications to promote other products or services, or sharing data with advertising partners.

To prepare for these changes, we recommend that you:

Read and understand the requirements for completing the Data safety form in Play Console and complying with our User Data policy. Ensure that you've added a privacy policy; this is required to complete the Data safety form and have your data safety information shown to users. Review how your app collects and shares user data and your app’s security practices. In particular, check your app’s declared permissions and the APIs that your app uses. In addition to reviewing how your app collects and shares user data, you should also review how any third-party code (such as third-party libraries or SDKs) in your app collects and shares such data. It's your responsibility to ensure that any such code used in your app is compliant with Play Developer Program policies. You must reflect data collection or sharing carried out by such third-party code in the Data safety form for your app."

Edit 1:

Looks like they have a kind of error on their website. after submitting the "yes/no" answer and the "why does your app need..." - you still cannot submit new versions. You need to answer also the following not understandable question: But - still - you can't submit a new version. 4~12 hours later - you can. it is a question of answering the questions + having strong mental health. I submitted 12 apps updates - all had the same process:

answer questions. wait half a day. I have asked google play console support - they said that it take time.

Edit 2: the check box is there on first submission of an app. here is a fresh screen shot.

Yearn

Still the main question: should be yes or no ! – Triazine

YES. Admobs uses Advertising ID. even if you did not put it in the manifest -> latest google ads sdk "play-services-ads" have it in their manifest and it is imported to yours. – Yearn

@Yearn How can you tell that they have it in their manifest? I want to check the rest of the SDKs I use. – Disaffiliate

Did you check \app\build\intermediates\merged_manifest\debug\AndroidManifest.xml and app\build\intermediates\merged_manifests\debug\AndroidManifest.xml – Yearn

Please guide. Where can I find "Turn off release error" checkbox..?? - @Yearn – Grecian

I can't find it anymore - looks like they took it out – Yearn

@Yearn How is goen? What did you do? – Hankins

If you use Firebase services in your app, it will add this permission to your Manifest behind the scenes. You have to select YES, and the reason would be ANALYTICS (read the content carefully) – Hankins

I have just released another app - the check box is there. it is probably not visible after first submission. or maybe when you add the firebase, it is gone. I do not know, – Yearn

Answer 2

Should be "YES" and with advertising, analytics, and fraud prevention purposes.

See https://developers.google.com/admob/android/play-data-disclosure#data_collected_and_shared_automatically "Device and Account identifiers" section, the Android advertising (ad) ID is included.

Eyre

hi, are you sure about "analytics, and fraud prevention" -> I know it was part of the data safety recommendation from Admobs. I am not sure it is also here needed. I got answer from google "For ads - For example, displaying ads in your app, sending push notifications to promote other products or services, or sharing data with advertising partners." Check the full text in my answer. – Yearn

The problem is that you should not only consider what YOU do with AD_ID, but what third party SDKs do with that. Since Admob states that "collects and shares the following data types automatically for advertising, analytics, and fraud prevention purposes" and "the following" includes Android advertising (ad) ID, I would also select analytics, and fraud prevention as purposes there. Also, Google tells "for example", so unfortunately the answer should not be considered completed. – Eyre

Thanks - I will take this recommendation - it sounds logic. – Yearn

Answer 3

Google AdMob: Device or other IDs :

• Collected? Yes
• Shared? Yes
• Processed ephemerally? No
• Required or Optional? Optional

You should fill these answers.

Singleaction

Answer 4

For apps targeting Android 13 you need to include this permission:

<manifest>
    <application>
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
            android:value="ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx~yyyyyyyyyy"/>

        <-- For apps targeting Android 13 or higher & GMA SDK version 20.3.0 or lower -->
        <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID"/>

    </application>
</manifest>

For further info

Favorite

How this answer responds the user question? – Use