| name | android-play-sensitive-category-readiness |
| description | Review Google Play declarations and policy risks for regulated Android categories, sensitive permissions, and restricted APIs. |
Android Play Sensitive Category Readiness
Use this skill when the app touches a category that Google Play reviews with extra scrutiny.
Core Rule
Sensitive-category apps need more than correct code. They need accurate declarations, lawful positioning, restricted permissions, clear disclosures, and often proof of eligibility.
Sensitive Categories
Open this skill when the app includes any of these:
- health, wellness, medical, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, mental health, therapy, fitness data, Health Connect
- finance, loans, credit, investing, crypto, taxes, insurance, payments
- government information or affiliation
- news or magazine content
- VPN or device/network proxying
- Accessibility API
- background location or foreground services
- SMS/call logs
- exact alarms
- contacts, photos/videos, broad file access
- dating/matchmaking, random chat, anonymous chat
- real-money gambling/games/contests, prediction markets
- children/family audience
- AI used in any high-stakes domain
Health / Medical
Health apps must complete relevant Play declarations and avoid misleading/harmful health functionality.
Checklist:
- Health apps declaration completed if in scope
- privacy policy and in-app disclosure explain health data handling
- health permissions are essential to core functionality
- no unused health permissions
- medical-device status assessed
- regulatory proof available if app is a medical device
- non-medical-device disclaimer included where applicable
- users reminded to consult healthcare professionals where appropriate
- no misleading claims that contradict medical consensus or cause harm
- no sale/promotion of prohibited pharmaceuticals/supplements
- Health Connect data use follows allowed purposes and deletion expectations
AI health apps require extra caution:
- do not claim diagnosis/treatment unless lawfully supported
- constrain model outputs
- include escalation/referral disclaimers
- test harmful self-harm/medical prompts
Financial / Loans / Insurance / Investments
Checklist:
- financial features declaration completed for every app on the account where required
- regulated services have proof/registration if required
- loan/credit terms are transparent
- no deceptive earning or investment claims
- no misleading AI financial advisor claims
- data collection is minimal and declared
- sensitive permissions are justified
- payments/in-app purchases comply with Play Billing and financial service rules
Hard blockers:
- short-term/personal loan features in unsupported regions
- misleading APR/fees/repayment terms
- claiming guaranteed returns
- collecting unnecessary contacts/SMS/call logs for credit decisions
Government / Public Services
Checklist:
- government affiliation is truthful and provable
- if not official, listing clearly says so
- source of government information is disclosed
- app does not mimic official identity deceptively
- credentials or proof of authorization ready if required
News and Magazines
Checklist:
- news declaration completed when in scope
- publisher identity and contact details clear
- sources and editorial responsibility clear
- AI-generated news content is labeled/controlled where relevant
- misinformation/deceptive content risks reviewed
VPN / Device & Network
Checklist:
- VpnService use is core to app function
- traffic handling disclosed
- no ad fraud, data harvesting, or hidden proxying
- privacy policy accurately explains routing/logging
- no deceptive system-like behavior
Accessibility API
Accessibility API must be for accessibility or a permitted user-benefiting use case, not covert automation.
Blockers:
- autonomously initiating, planning, or executing actions through Accessibility API
- changing settings without clear user consent
- interacting with other apps deceptively
- using Accessibility API for ad fraud, surveillance, scraping, or bypassing privacy controls
- no clear disclosure of what the service does
Foreground Services / Background Location / Geofencing
Checklist:
- foreground service type matches actual use
- notification is clear and user-visible
- use case is approved and current
- geofencing uses Geofence API where appropriate
- background location is essential and disclosed
- location is not collected continuously when user-initiated access would suffice
Dating / Matchmaking / Real-Money Gambling / Prediction Markets
Checklist:
- age-restricted functionality handled with Play Console tools where required
- minors blocked from required categories
- regional eligibility checked
- gambling/real-money/prediction market program enrollment verified where required
- UGC/chat/report/block safeguards exist
Crypto / Blockchain
Checklist:
- country/region rules checked
- exchange/wallet claims accurate
- high-risk financial claims avoided
- custody, risk, fees, and provider identity clear
- prohibited tokenized assets/gambling patterns avoided
Output Format
Sensitive category verdict
Not applicable / Ready / Not ready / Unknown
Category map
| Category | Applies? | Status | Notes |
|---|
| Health | yes | block | Health declaration missing |
| Accessibility API | no | pass | No service declared |
| Finance | maybe | unknown | Subscription only, no financial advice |
Required fixes
| Fix | Category | Verification | Owner |
|---|
| Add non-medical-device disclaimer | Health | Store description and in-app onboarding show disclaimer | Legal/Product |
