For years, Google has used app permissions to inform users about apps’ data access policies. This approach has served users well when the policies are reasonable, but has also failed to protect users when the policies are opaque or deceptive. Developer-reported data policies provide a more direct way to inform users about an app’s data access policies. Rather than relying on the app developer to choose which permissions to use, the user is able to read the text of the policy and make an informed choice about whether to download the app or not.
The most valuable currency in the digital economy is data. As a developer, one of the most important things you can do is collect data about how people are using your app. When you have a large amount of data, you can make better decisions about how to evolve and improve your app. One of the most important places to get data about your app is the Google Play Store.
The most well-known app store in the world is the Google Play Store. It's home to millions of apps and games, and is visited by hundreds of millions of people every day. The main way that people find apps in the Google Play Store is through search. But the second biggest way that people find apps is through app permissions.
Data-driven marketplaces like the Google Play Store can make for a fascinating ecosystem. On the surface, app permissions are how you get access to the data within an app. But instead of asking for app permissions to get the data you need, you can simply report the data you want to the app developer. They can then update their app to provide you with what you need without requiring any app permissions at all.
The Google Play Store is one of the biggest app markets in the world. In the last year, it has helped tens of millions of apps reach millions of users. But how is the store actually run? To find out, we're going to take a look at the inner-workings of the Play Store, starting with the data that powers it.