1 page.title=Google Play for Families FAQ 2 meta.tags="families", "guidelines", "quality" 3 page.tags="families", "addendum" 4 page.metaDescription=Questions and answers about Designed for Families 5 6 @jd:body 7 8 <style> 9 dt { 10 font-weight:bold; 11 } 12 </style> 13 14 <div id="qv-wrapper"> 15 <ol id="qv"> 16 <h2>In this document</h2> 17 <ol> 18 <li><a href="#review">App Review and Opt-In</a></li> 19 <li><a href="#monetization">Monetization</a></li> 20 <li><a href="#other">Other Questions</a></li> 21 </ol> 22 </div> 23 24 <p> 25 The sections below provide more information about Designed for Families 26 and answer common questions that you might have about it. 27 </p> 28 29 30 <h2 id="review">App Review and Opt-In</h2> 31 32 <dl> 33 <dt>How do I opt-in my app(s)?</dt> 34 35 <dl> 36 <dd> 37 You can opt-in to Designed for Families on the Pricing and Distribution tab 38 for your app on the Google Play Developer Console. Here's a <a href= 39 "{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/families/start.html">step-by-step 40 walkthrough</a>. 41 </dd> 42 43 <dt> 44 Where do I disclose my apps interactive features? Why are you collecting 45 this information? 46 </dt> 47 48 <dd> 49 Interactive feature disclosures are part of the content rating 50 questionnaire. You have an opportunity to review your disclosures as 51 part of the Designed for Families program opt-in flow. We collect this 52 information so that users can make informed choices when evaluating your 53 app. 54 </dd> 55 56 <dt> 57 What is COPPA? 58 </dt> 59 60 <dd> 61 COPPA is the Federal Trade Commissions (FTC) Child Online Privacy 62 Protection Rule. More details are available on the <a 63 href="http://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/complying-coppa-frequently-asked-questions"> 64 FTC's FAQ about COPPA</a>. Note that Google Play cannot provide legal guidance to developers 65 on how to comply with COPPA or other child statutes. 66 </dd> 67 68 <dt> 69 Do I need to provide an up-to-date privacy policy and where do I do that? 70 </dt> 71 72 <dd> 73 Yes, you need to provide a link to a persistent privacy policy on your 74 apps store listing and confirm your compliance with local privacy statutes 75 in the Developer Console. To add or review your privacy policy, choose your 76 app in the Developer Console and then scroll to the bottom of the 77 <strong>Store Listing</strong> section. 78 </dd> 79 80 <dt> 81 If I distribute my apps globally, do I need to provide a translated version 82 of my privacy policy for each separate language APK? 83 </dt> 84 <dd> 85 No, you do not need to translate your privacy policy. However, if you 86 distribute your apps in a few select countries, it is advised that you do 87 translate your privacy policy. 88 </dd> 89 90 <dt> 91 How do I decide what age group to select? 92 </dt> 93 94 <dd> 95 Age groups are: Ages 5 & Under, Ages 6-8, and Ages 9-12. If you select one of these 96 age groups, your content must be appropriate for children in the age ranges. You may 97 select the General Audience category only select if your app targets both children 98 under 13 and adults. 99 </dd> 100 101 <dt> 102 What will be different about my app if I select the General Audience category? 103 </dt> 104 105 <dd> 106 There is not a dedicated section for General Audience apps within the family sections. 107 In addition, you can use Google+ Sign-in or Google Play Game Services as an optional 108 feature, but child users must be able to access the app or game in its entirety 109 without signing into Google+ or Google Play Games Service. 110 </dd> 111 112 <dt> 113 How many age groups can I select? 114 </dt> 115 116 <dd> 117 You can select up to two adjacent age groups only if your app is appropriate for 118 multiple age groups. 119 </dd> 120 121 <dt> 122 How many content categories can I select in the Designed for Families 123 program? 124 </dt> 125 126 <dd> 127 You can select one category as part of the Designed for Families program 128 and another category for the general Google Play store. 129 </dd> 130 131 <dt> 132 What are the Designed for Families categories? 133 </dt> 134 135 <ul> 136 <li><strong>Action & Adventure</strong>: These are action-oriented apps/games and include everything 137 from racing games, fairy tale adventures, and more. 138 </li> 139 140 <li style="list-style: none"><strong>Brain Games</strong>: This category includes games that 141 make the user think and includes puzzles, matching games, and similar 142 games. 143 </li> 144 145 <li><strong>Creativity</strong>: These are apps/games that spur creativity. 146 Example types of apps/games we expect in this category include drawing, 147 painting, and other games where you can build things. 148 </li> 149 150 <li><strong>Education</strong>: These are apps/games that have educational value and include 151 math, science, learning the alphabet, learning to count, and many more types of 152 educational content like geography and history. 153 </li> 154 155 <li><strong>Music and Video</strong>: These are apps/games that contain a musical element or 156 video component and include everything from playing the 157 piano to watching videos and more. 158 </li> 159 160 <li><strong>Pretend Play</strong>: These are apps/games where one can pretend to take on a 161 role, like pretending to be a cook or a doctor. 162 </li> 163 </ul> 164 165 <dl> 166 <dt> 167 Will it take longer for my app to get published if I opt-in to the Designed 168 for Families program? 169 </dt> 170 171 <dd> 172 When you opt-in to Designed for Families, Google Play reviews your app to 173 confirm that it is appropriate for families. Assuming your app complies with all program 174 requirements, we expect that publishing time should not take any longer 175 than normal; however, there may be a delay in publishing the app if it is 176 rejected during the Designed for Families review. 177 </dd> 178 179 <dt> 180 What happens if my app is rejected from the Designed for Families program? 181 </dt> 182 183 <dd> 184 If your app is rejected from the Designed for Families program, well 185 indicate why in the Developer Console and in a detailed email. Youll have 186 an opportunity to correct the issues and resubmit your app to the program, 187 or change your opt-in response. Note that if you have an existing app that 188 is live on Google Play, only your app update will be rejected (your app 189 will remain live on the Play store). If youve submitted a new app to the 190 Designed for Families program that does not meet the requirements, your 191 entire app submission will be rejected and the app will not be published on 192 Play. You can then address the identified issue(s) and resubmit the app for 193 the Designed for Families program or opt-out of the program. 194 </dd> 195 196 <dt> 197 What happens if my app is found to be non-compliant with Designed for 198 Families program requirements after it has been published? 199 </dt> 200 201 <dd> 202 Your app may be removed or suspended from the Google Play Store, not only 203 the Designed for Families program. Removed apps can follow the same 204 remedies as rejected apps. Suspended apps can be appealed using the 205 developer appeal process. 206 </dd> 207 208 <dt> 209 If I opt-in to the Designed for Families program, can I opt-out later on? 210 </dt> 211 212 <dd> 213 Yes, you may opt-out of the program at any time. Please note that by opting 214 out you would lose your placement in the new family-friendly experience as 215 well as the other benefits of the program. 216 </dd> 217 218 <dt> 219 What happens when I update my app after it has been accepted into the 220 program? 221 </dt> 222 223 <dd> 224 Apps that are part of the Designed for Families program need to maintain 225 compliance with the eligibility requirements at all times. If you need to 226 edit the Designed for Families metadata associated with your app, please go 227 to the Pricing & Distribution section of the Google Play Developer Console 228 to edit this information. If updating your app results in you changing your 229 target audience, we recommend that you alert the users who already 230 have your app installed. 231 </dd> 232 233 <dt> 234 Can apps and games that use Google sign-in or Google Play Game 235 services opt-into the Designed for Families program? 236 </dt> 237 238 <dd> 239 Apps that participate in Designed for Families that are wholly 240 child-focused, i.e. that target the following age groups: Ages 5 & Under, 241 Ages 6 to 8, or Ages 9 to 12 <strong>may not</strong> use Google+ Sign-in 242 or Google Play Game services as the login experience for their 243 application. 244 245 <p> 246 Apps that participate in Designed for Families that target both children and 247 older audiences, can use Google+ Sign-in or Google Play Game services as an 248 <strong>optional</strong> feature. Child users must be able to access the app 249 or game in its entirety without signing into Google+ or Google Play Game services. 250 </p> 251 </dd> 252 253 <dt> 254 My app is opted-in to Google Play for Education and has Google sign-in integration 255 so that students can login with their school accounts. Do I need to change the way 256 Google sign-in works in my app? 257 </dt> 258 259 <dd> 260 Apps that participate in Google Play for Education may use Google sign-in for 261 student accounts as long as it is not a blocking requirement for all users of the app. 262 </dd> 263 </dl> 264 265 <h2 id="monetization"> 266 Designed for Families Program Monetization 267 </h2> 268 269 <dl> 270 <dt> 271 Are ads allowed? Can you give me more details on the advertising policies for Designed for 272 Families? 273 </dt> 274 275 <dd> 276 Yes, ads are allowed as long as the adhere to the <a href= 277 "https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6184502#ads"> 278 ads policy for Designed for Families</a>. 279 </dd> 280 281 <dt> 282 Can my app serve interstitial advertisements? 283 </dt> 284 285 <dd> 286 Interstitial ads may be appropriate for some apps. However, a user must be 287 able to navigate to the main activity before any ads are served. 288 </dd> 289 290 <dt> 291 What about full page ads? 292 </dt> 293 294 <dd> 295 You may use full page ads as long as the ad can be dismissed without the user having to 296 interact with it in other ways. 297 298 <dt> 299 Am I allowed to use house/first party ads and product placements within my app? 300 </dt> 301 302 <dd> 303 House ads are allowed, but they must comply with <a 304 href="https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6184502#ads">ads policies</a>. 305 </dd> 306 307 <dt> 308 How do I know that my ad network complies with the advertising 309 policies for Designed for Families? 310 </dt> 311 312 <dd> 313 Please contact your advertising network to ask them about their content policies 314 and advertising practices. If you use AdMob, then please refer to the <a href= 315 "https://support.google.com/admob/answer/3248194">AdMob help center</a> for 316 details on how to tag your app or a specific ad unit for child-directed 317 treatment. It is the developers responsibility to ensure that the overall 318 user experience with in-app advertising meets the <a href= 319 "https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6184502">Designed 320 for Families program requirements</a>. 321 </dd> 322 323 <dt> 324 Can I have in-app purchases in my app? 325 </dt> 326 327 <dd> 328 There are no specific restrictions relating to in-app purchases (IAP) in 329 apps participating in the Designed for Families program other than 330 compliance with the <a href= 331 "https://play.google.com/intl/ALL_us/about/families/developer-distribution-agreement-addendum.html"> 332 Designed for Families DDA</a> and other applicable legal requirements, but 333 Play reserves the right to reject apps for overly aggressive commercial 334 tactics. Google Play will enforce IAP password protection on all apps 335 participating in the Designed for Families program that primarily target 336 child audiences to ensure that parents, not children, are approving 337 purchases. Please note that this treatment does not extend to apps 338 targeting general audiences. 339 </dd> 340 </dl> 341 342 <h2 id="other"> 343 Other Questions 344 </h2> 345 346 <dl> 347 <dt> 348 Who is the intended target audience for participating Designed for Families 349 apps? 350 </dt> 351 352 <dd> 353 Our goal is to provide a great experience on the Google Play store for 354 parents and guardians to discover delightful apps designed for kids and 355 families from trusted brands and developers. 356 </dd> 357 358 <dt> 359 Is the Designed for Families Program only available to developers in 360 certain countries? 361 </dt> 362 363 <dd> 364 Designed for Families is a global program. 365 </dd> 366 367 <dt> 368 What happens to apps that are published in the current Family Games 369 category? 370 </dt> 371 372 <dd> 373 The current Family Games category will be deprecated in May 2015. Apps 374 currently in the Family Games category will have to select 375 a different category in the Play store. Apps that have not selected another 376 category will be assigned to the Casual Games category. 377 </dd> 378 379 <dt> 380 How can users find character pages? 381 </dt> 382 383 <dd> 384 Character pages are found through the Popular Characters tab within each of 385 the verticals. They can also be accessed from character-specific badges on details 386 pages of character content. 387 </dd> 388 389 </dl> 390 391 <div class="paging-links" style="padding-top:.75em;"> 392 <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EtvUWqlkxS6RxHJjeI-3-7uzdbIZx6n9Cocy2D369B8/viewform" class= 393 "next-class-link">Next: Stay in Touch</a> 394 </div>
