Published: August 30, 2021
The aim of the Client Application Guidelines (“Guidelines”) is to ensure that applications that access, offer, promote and/or bundle with Google’s products or services have clear disclosure, meaningful choice and the best experience possible. Users should not be subjected to illegal, misleading, deceptive, harmful or hard-to-uninstall software. In line with this spirit of the Guidelines, we believe that a good consent mechanism and disclosure notice should abide by 2 basic principles - they are outlined below:
- No misleading statements or tactics. Company must not mislead or coerce End Users into selecting or accepting a particular User Choice.
- Prominent and accurate disclosures. Company must provide full, accurate, clear, and conspicuous information about the functionality of the application.
For example, the User Choice must:
- Be presented for each installation option, user selection or user consent.
- In the event there is more than one installation option, user selection or user consent, each User Choice must be displayed as a separate line item or option.
- Present 2 prominent, conspicuous and selectable options, each representing “yes” or “accept” and “no” or “don’t accept”. The “no” or “don’t accept” option must not be hidden, non-functional or non-existent, and:
- For primary applications, End Users must not be forced to install the application before being allowed to exit the installation flow; or
- For secondary applications, when bundling applications, End Users must not be forced to install the secondary application before proceeding with the installation flow of the primary application.
- Allow End Users to demonstrate affirmative and unambiguous intention, such as by tapping a button to accept, or selecting a checkbox.
- Not mimick or exploit device security or privacy vulnerabilities in order to initiate installation.
- Not include text or elements that mislead, coerce or incentivize End Users towards a particular choice.
- Not include misleading interactive elements. This includes, for example, misleading call-to-action buttons, components or forms that imply an outcome other than the installation of an application, or surreptitious designs or techniques that mislead, coerce or incentivise End Users towards a particular choice.
For example, the disclosure must:
- Make it clear to End Users that they are installing an application.
- Explain what the application does.
- Be legible, and designed so that it will be read by and adequately inform a typical End User.
- Be independent, and not mixed or buried in unrelated text.
- Be located in a prominent position, preceding the selection of each User Choice.
Below, we have provided some illustrative mock-ups encompassing these principles for your reference. Company is also welcome to design or implement other methods that reflect these principles.
Illustrative mock-ups
Mock-up 1
Installation screen for a single application, with a selectable checkbox in addition to 2 buttons - each representing “yes” or “accept” and “no” or “don’t accept”.
Mock-up 2
Installation screen for a single application, with a button representing “yes” or “accept”; and ‘x’ (exit button) representing “no” or “don’t accept”.
Mock-up 3
Installation screen for a single application, with 2 buttons - each representing “yes” or “accept” and “no” or “don’t accept”.
Mock-up 4
Installation screen for 2 applications, with 2 buttons - each representing “yes” or “accept” for installing 1 or both applications; and ‘x’ (exit button) representing “no” or “don’t accept”.
Mock-up 5
Installation screen for 2 applications, with a button representing “yes” or “accept” for installation of the primary application; a selectable checkbox representing “yes” or “accept” for installation of the secondary application; and ‘x’ (exit button) representing “no” or “don’t accept”.
Mock-up 6
Installation screen for a single application with the ability to change an end user’s search settings, with a selectable checkbox representing “yes” or “accept” for each change - each displayed as a separate line item; and ‘x’ (exit button) representing “no” or “don’t accept”.
Mock-up 7
Installation screen for a single application with the ability to change an end user’s search settings, with 2 buttons representing “yes” or “accept” and “no” or “don’t accept” for each change - each pair displayed as a separate line item.
