Physical contact adress on Google Play

Hello,

Have you seen latest announcement on Google Play? Google want’s developer physical contact adress. That would be ok, but why the hell they will show it to google play users? What about our privacy?

I think Post Office Box will be best. Why does everyone on internet should know where i live?

It might be related with changes to the EU VAT law. If I am right they chose the worst route for developers - as always - and still claim they are not the seller in IAP transactions, so we, developers, will have to report VAT for each European country separately. New VAT law requires to state clearily on the payment page the details of the seller - otherwise it is assumed the app store is the seller.

“If you don’t provide a physical address on your account, it may result in your apps being removed from the Play Store.” - typical Google

And it is mandatory beginning 30 September - yet there is still no field to put it into…

But doesn’t google have those information in your Google Wallet account?

I think those changes may be related to two things:

  1. Fighting fake accounts.
  2. Laywers from other companies demand on google they need to send physical cease & desists letters to devs.

this is for devs also with free apps?

I belevie so.

I saw announcement on console. Now i can’t read it again because i closed it. I don’t know if there are place with archive.

Add a physical contact address Beginning September 30, 2014, you need to add a physical address to your Settings page. After you’ve added an address, it will be available on your app’s detail page to all users on Google Play. If your physical address changes, make sure to update your information on your Settings page.

If you have paid apps or apps with in-app purchases, it’s mandatory to provide a physical address where you can be contacted. If you don’t provide a physical address on your account, it may result in your apps being removed from the Play Store.

No place to enter the address yet.

My company’s physical address is on the website anyway (and on the Companies House database) so it’s all the same to me, but for many developers this will be a big privacy issue.

Also to be fair, for every purchase the seller gets the customer’s address… well, postcode but in many cases this is as good as the address, so the privacy violation goes both ways.

No, Its not for developers with free apps.

Its only for those developers who have paid apps or IAP apps. Its mentioned in the same warning msg in Google console.

I still have IAP lib kept in my app. Though i have removed the IAP option. Still i need to give update and remove the lib.

Google takes 30% of paid/IAP and still do’t want to claim that they are not sellers.

WTF man?? :mad::mad::mad::mad:

This completely bullshit from Google to remove apps of devs who don’t update address. What about devs who are just getting passive income for years and even not looking for their app stats and not logging into dev console. There are many paid apps which haven’t been updated for years and devs even don’t login to the console.

Well, I guess they are trying to fight against spam accounts, previously what some users are doing is once they get banned from the Google’s Developer account, they create another developer account by using some other IP address,card details, name etc… but by announcing the physical contact address they are trying to put an end over such …

So does anyone know where we enter this address? I don’t see an option on the settings page?

I still can’t find the place to enter. Sep 30 i will unpublish my paid app :frowning:

Is it always required to pay VAT or is it only for companies who earn above threshold (which differs from country to country)?

I’ve found such explanation:

Selling online is complex because once you reach a certain turnover in a foreign jurisdiction, you are required to register for VAT in that jurisdiction, start collecting VAT at the local rate and then pay VAT to the local jurisdiction (rather than HMRC). The threshold depends on the country and is either €35,000 or €100,000

Quote taken from: Mobile Apps Developement and VAT | TaxAssist Accountants

I guess the most important question is who will see the address? Will it be seen by everyone or just the ones buying the developer’s products? And will be shown online or on the bank statement?

Another big bullshit is what about those have neither migrated to new admob nor migrated to google-play-services so far.

They have to:-

  • first migrate to new-afmob interface.
  • upgrade to google play services
  • upgrade to version 3 or their paid lib
  • update address

(*) it might be oki for 1-2 apps, what if you have lots of apps with paid and IAP?

its complete nightmare and you still can not do anything against google.
Fire is fire :banghead::banghead::banghead:

@lenrok258 - depends on your country I believe, it’s best to ask an accountant and keep in mind the VAT law changes in 2015. Currently once you reach the threshold in sales in some country you need to pay VAT in that country. In your country there should be another smaller threshold that allows you not to pay any VAT at all while you are below it (but it’s usually very, very low one time limit, I was paying VAT from the very beginning of my business for example because it has it’s good sides - you don’t pay VAT for things you buy for your business then). What changes is that you will need to pay VAT always in the country of sale no matter how much you sale there. It will be simplified of course - you will be able to pay the calculated VAT in your country but using the VAT value of the country of sale and reporting it on special form (similar to the one you use right now when reporting dealing with other EU companies - like Google Ireland for AdMob).

And I don’t know what changes for people from outside EU - they probably can ignore VAT altogether unless they reach those limits (so nothing will change for them I suppose).

The address is required only for apps with IAP so I doubt it will be about fighting spamming developers - especially since it’s pretty easy to acquire a fake address.

Let’s analyze what Google is saying:

Beginning September 30, 2014, you need to add a physical address to your Settings page.

It sounds like everyone have to add it. Starting from Sep 30. Without any final date…

If you have paid apps or apps with in-app purchases, it’s mandatory to provide a physical address where you can be contacted.

Now it sounds that it’s only required for devs who have paid apps or IAP.

After you’ve added an address, it will be available on your app’s detail page to all users on Google Play.

That’s clear - anyone can see it. Not only ppl who bought something or want to buy. It will be probably on web version on Google Play too, so it will be indexed by Google search bot. Great way to care for developers privacy! Think how author of Flappy Bird would feel if he would provide his home address.

If you don’t provide a physical address on your account, it may result in your apps being removed from the Play Store.

Confusing, nothing specific - may be removed, may not.

Let’s hope they will release some more specific information soon.

This new announcement made me very angry when I spotted it today in the Google Play Dev Console. I’ve just fired off a complaint via the Help icon (Email link) in the top right of the web page in the console. If you’re angry too, I would encourage you to complain to Google as well so that hopefully they’ll get the message!

I’m upset for 2 reasons - first Google provided no justifcation for this request. Is it for tax reasons, as others have speculated on this thread, government regulations, or what? Most of their notifications have a ‘Learn more’ link, but not this one.

Second, as a one-man band without a company address, I do NOT want to put my home address on the web for all to see. Google already know it, and people who make in-app purchases will see it as well in their confirmation emails. I see no reason why everybody should see it. People can exclude their address from domain name searches (shame you have to pay for this often!), but Google forcing people to provide a physical address is pretty bad. If they don’t retract this requirement I’m tempted just to provide a dummy address that bypasses whatever address-validation logic they use.

I believe we might start to receive spam through normal mail, not only e-mail now. :smiley:

Maybe it’s time to get an office. I work from home which means I would have to provide my home address to some potentially unstable freaks that might be playing my games… My address is easily available on the web anyway but it’s not easy to find for people from abroad and to link it to my apps.

Are you sure? I’ve just looked through my confirmation emails for games I bought on Google Play and there is no address or any other information about companies I bought those games from - only the name and e-mail contact.

Google only do the bare minimum, as long as they can get away with doing it. Such a poor example to set as one of the biggest companies on the internet.

I hope they don’t add in any future clarification that PO boxes do not count as being a one man band doing app dev in my spare time at home I do not want all and sundry on the internet getting my home address. I’m sure if one was to dig enough it’s out there but that’s other stuff for me to worry about.

This just makes me angry and start thinking about making my ~£500/month (after G’s 30%) app free if I can’t use a PO box.
I have to pay tax on it, the CSA will no doubt want their pound of flesh, and the other replies above make me wonder if I need an accountant if VAT will also be an issue. For a few quid a month extra I’m wondering if it’s worth the hassle now.