Google counts India as the biggest userbase of its Android operating system population wise, and thus, it’s fair to say that it is a very important market for the American tech giant. This is why, when an issue with its gamification policy led to outrage by the Indian startup ecosystem, the company took note. Today, Google issued clarifications and tried to simplify its policies around loyalty programs and features.
The company is now updating its Play Store Policy to provide guidance on gamified loyalty programs designed to bring customers back to their platform by using real life monetary rewards as bait.
“App developers in India are actively building uniquely Indian features and services. One example is the use of mini games, quizzes and other gamification techniques to delight users and convert them into loyal customers. These experiences are often launched during important festivals and sporting events, and getting it right within the specific time window is critically important. This is one of the things we discussed when we spoke to several startup CEOs in India and around the world in the past few months. And, as part of the very first policy update of 2021 we are clarifying and simplifying the policies around loyalty programs and features,” Suzanne Frey, Vice President of Product, Android Security and Privacy at Google, said in a blog post.
“This is one of the things we discussed when we spoke to several startup CEOs in India and around the world in the past few months. And, as part of the very first policy update of 2021 we are clarifying and simplifying the policies around loyalty programs and features,” wrote Frey.
This comes after a huge debacle concerning Google and India’s most valuable startup-Paytm. Last year, the American search giant took down the app from its Play Store, claiming that one of its features went against its policies, and resembled gambling. To this, the startup argued that Google offers a very similar feature on its own payments app-Google Pay, and started a crusade against its policies, going as far as to launch its own mini app store.
Based on all this, Google has decided to update its policy guidance on gamified loyalty programs that are based on a qualified monetary transaction in the app and offer prizes of cash or other real-world value.
Moreover, the company is also launching a web resource called How Google Play Works, allowing developers to access a repository of useful information and ‘good practices.’
