Google Play families policies policy: fixes and checks

Including children in your audience changes more than the content rating. Google’s Families policies add requirements for content, data, SDKs, advertising, social features, and age-appropriate functionality.

What to check

Compare the actual app and marketing with your declared audience. Child-directed imagery and language can affect Google’s assessment even if you selected only adult age groups.

Review all content children can reach, including links, ads, and remote feeds. Check SDK terms for use in child-directed services. An adult-oriented authentication or analytics service may be unsuitable even if it technically works.

Data and permissions

Apps solely targeting children must not transmit the prohibited persistent identifiers or AAID, and shouldn’t request AD_ID when targeting API 33 or later. They may not request location permission or collect, use, or transmit precise location. Mixed-audience apps must not transmit the listed identifiers from children or users of unknown age.

Don’t request the device phone number through TelephonyManager. Use Companion Device Manager for Bluetooth requests unless you target only operating systems that don’t support it. Check the official list for the exact identifiers and API conditions.

Social and AR features

Before children exchange freeform media or information, show the required online-safety reminder. Social features need adult management controls, and features that exchange personal information require adult action. Anonymous chat and stranger-focused social apps must not target children.

For AR, show a safety warning at the start of the AR section covering supervision and real-world hazards. Don’t require equipment advised against for children.

How to address the rejection

Fix the specific content, data path, or feature and update the related Play Console answers. In mixed-audience apps, use a neutral age screen where needed and keep unsuitable SDKs from collecting children’s data. Don’t require children to pass through an unapproved SDK to access the app.

Test as a child, an adult, and a user whose age is unknown. Document the different paths. Also check Families advertising and the target-audience declaration.