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I am trying to release a mobile game (insert obligatory sellout statement for Chunk of Space) on Google Play, and I'm worried about their privacy policy system. Basically, if you mark your game as "directed primarily towards children," you need to include a privacy policy (mostly to adhere to COPPA regulations). Now, my game isn't primarily for children, but because it's made to appeal to all ages, it's likely that I might have children playing it (or, I might have nobody play it. Hooray for insecurity). The question is, do I need to make the app say that it is "Designed for Families," or can I leave that option unchecked? Will the game not be marketed/available to children if I do not do so? And if I do need to set that option, how might I go about creating the privacy policy? I know there are several privacy policy generators online, so if you've used one or more in the past, could you recommend it to me? And how would I need to modify the policy to allow children to use it?

As for information the app uses, here's a short list:

  • Anything needed for Unity analytics, IAP, and ads
  • Anything needed for Google play IAP and ads

That's all that I know it uses, although there might be some additional information that each uses, along with any hidden Google Play and Unity stuff.

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    \$\begingroup\$ With regard to COPPA compliance, I strongly recommend contacting a lawyer. The law is very specific and carries heavy penalties for contravention, so it's something you probably don't want to leave up to internet hearsay. Even an accidental breach hidden in some tracking middleware unrelated to your well-meaning game/app could pose a significant liability to your company. (I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, just a word of caution) \$\endgroup\$
    – DMGregory ♦
    Mar 18, 2019 at 16:55

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Before you read this, I'm not a lawyer.

As far as I understand, the "Designed for Children" refers to apps that primarily target children, like educational apps, or cartoon-games. They do not affect apps that target a wider audience that includes them.

Having a wider audience that includes children is handled when you get a rating for your app, in which case, based on the amount of violence, and other adult-specific subjects that your app includes, it will be given a rating, something like 12+ or 3+. (They are different for each country)

From my experience with Google, marking your app as "Designed for Children" is not a requirement. That means if you do make an app made for children, you don't have to mark it as such. The benefit you get when you do though is that Google might use it in "Child-friendly" areas of the Play-Store, so it will get better visibility to its target audience.

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    \$\begingroup\$ There is a downside to marking it as targeted for children as well, specifically that it will be shown in the store as such and older players may decide not to play a “kids game” \$\endgroup\$
    – Ed Marty
    Mar 19, 2019 at 13:02
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    \$\begingroup\$ @EdMarty Which is (probably) why someone that targets a wide audience that includes children, should not mark their app as "Designed for Children". \$\endgroup\$
    – TomTsagk
    Mar 19, 2019 at 13:31

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