Google Play Developer Policy - Questions/Answers

PLEASE READ FIRST!

Hi All,

Since there are too many discussions in the forum, nothing become certain or fully clear. Thus, I decided to create a topic that will contain all the questions/answers. If you you are not certain about a topic please ask your question, I will collect them in fist message. After that everyone can get some help.

NOTE:
[b]- Ask a question, I will add to first message.

  • If you know the certain answer for a question please answer it, so I can present it in first message.[/b]

QUESTIONS/ANSWERS

Q1. Can I use push, bookmark, icon ads with new policy ?
A1. No

Q2. Can I use banners, interstitial, appwalls, pop-up ads or similar in-app ads with new policy ?
A2. Yes, as long as good with ad policy (https://developer.android.com/distribute/googleplay/policies/ads.html)

Q3. Do I need EULA even If I only use banner ads ? (Disclosure of Ads to Users)
A3. No

Q4. Can I use a pop-up for “Please Rate Us” ?
A4. Yes you can, but for only support, not for rewards

Q5. Can I use a normal UI Button for “Rate Us” ?
A5. Yes you can, but for only support, not for rewards

Q6. Can I use Interstitial ad on exit?
A6. Only directly on the exit, not after app terminated.

Q7. Can I use a pop-up/normal UI Button for “Rate Us 5*” ?
A7. No you cannot force/manipulate users to give you 5 stars, however you can simply ask for “Please rate us to support.”

Q8. Can i still use cross promotion allert dialogs with link to my other app ?
A8. ?

Of course you don’t need EULA for banners. Why would you?

Asking for a rating has not changed. You can ask for a rating, just as before. What you cannot do, like before, is ask for a specific rating or give a reward for a rating.

You can still present EULA to change Browser homepage. AppWiz’s new SDK does that and there are tons of apps updated using it.

There are still out-of-app ads that are compliant, like PingJam (see my signature) and also Mobario and HomeBase with their Widgets and Lock Screen solutions. (I’m sure someone can summarize them better than I can).

@A1ka1inE, thanks.

I updated answers, I will ask more questions, if you have questions please ask. Pingjam maybe okay for now, but I assure you, it is gonna be forbidden so soon, when it become popular, google will notice it.

Interstitial ad on exit?

As long as it directly follows the exit of the app. For example I would imagine a gap of 1 or 2 seconds between the app exiting and the ad displaying would violate the policy.
Most ad networks would be fine with Exit ads though, so there shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

Can I use a pop-up/normal UI Button for “Rate Us 5*” ?

Updated answers, please ask questions if your are not certain.

With the Exit Ad it sounds a bit tricky. What would directly on the Exit mean?

Some exit ads load very slow, it means you exit the app, then you home screen, then 2 seconds later exit ads shows up. (Some of them uses web view). In reality, it is nobodies fault, but theoretically, it may violate the policy. I am also not %100 sure. :o

Wow. Thanks for the post. I didn’t even read the new policies on android dev page. Its a real eye opener on whats alllowed and not allowed.

I personally feel appwiz, pingjam, mobario and homebase has no clue on how their solution still within the policy.

As per the new policy.

  1. Don’t add shortcuts, bookmarks, or icons—Your app and its ads must not add homescreen shortcuts, browser bookmarks, or icons on the user’s device as a service to third parties or for advertising purposes.

Appwiz is clearly not within this policy as they change browser. Although google says bookmark, they are usually very vague.

  1. Display your ads within your UI—If possible, display ads only within your app’s UI. This leads to a better user experience and helps avoid policy violations
    No fake system dialogs or warnings—Any ad that presents itself as a system dialog or warning and asks for user input is in violation of Google Play policies.

Airpush Dialogue ads are totally not within the policy (see pic on google policy page). Also their smartwalls if used on exit are not within the policy since these load after you exit the app. I think exit ads are overall in danger here.

Airpush really needs to come out with the new SDK. They are saying their smartwall is fine. not sure if they even read the policies properly.

Keep in mind that also admob violates this policy. I see a lot of “you have new message, warning” ads on admob recently in others apps.

LOL. They are immune to all ad policies.

I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Google banned someone over dodgy Admob ads. Would probably be easy to appeal, but it could happen.

If you’ve ever experienced your app being taken off you’ll know it’s not a pleasant experience. You won’t be told what the violation was, and you will be totally unable to communicate with anyone at Google. So you’re appealing to a brick wall about something you don’t even know you did.

Woah chill. I’m not on Google’s side about it and you’d get that if you’d read my post properly. Admob is owned by Google. I was saying that Google are so ban-happy that it wouldn’t surprise me if they incurred a violation over Admob ads, even though they own and run the company. With that said, if you had a means of appeal, that would probably be the easiest to appeal.

Who knows why people have been banned. Only the person themselves can truly say, whether they feel it was totally undeserved or they actually know they were in violation in some way. Heck I wouldn’t cross out that some people were violating a part of the policy and didn’t even know. I was speaking with a developer from the EU last week and he didn’t know it was against policy to show two sets of banner ads simultaneously.

Whether you’re operating by the books or not, unfortunately we’re all at the hand of the Google corporation and unless you are a big-time developer yourself they can swat you like a fly, any time, for anything.

Guys, please do not create a discussion, this topic about Google Policy questions/answers.

if use interstitial in live wallpaper or widget, we have to show EULA(but over Home screen, not in Settings)?

Hmm, can you support your this! May I see the source that indicates lwps and widgets specifically ?
Regards

How do you show interstitials for wallpapers? Just randomly trigger interstitial ads their homescreen or on their phone when they are using your wallpaper?

Someone please enlighten me?

Time related - OVER homescreen(like new activity-not implement in wallpaper engine)