Apple will require apps to make it easier to delete your account

Deleting a third-party app on your Apple device isn’t really rocket science. In fact, it’s as easy as clicking a button. But just because you delete the app doesn’t mean that the account you set up in that app is gone for good. Start Jan. 31, 2022, Apple will ask third-party developers to streamline this process.

In a update Posted on Wednesday on its developer website, Apple announced that it would soon begin strengthening an update published in its App Store review guidelines last June that states that “all apps that allow the creation of account should also allow users to initiate deletion of their account from within. the application. “

In many cases, app developers design their account deletion mechanisms to ensure that the process is as laborious as possible, often intentionally directing users to a browser form or, God forbid, by them. asking to send an e-mail to someone in order to initiate the deletion of their accounts. It’s important to note that Apple’s language is rather nebulous here, however – “initiate” could simply mean that apps are needed to start the removal process in the app, but are ultimately allowed to send users to a wild goose hunting in order to make sure this actually happens.

The new requirement follows other recently announcement A updatespp Storus guidelines, including the enhanced enforcement of “repeated manipulative or deceptive behavior or other fraudulent conduct”, fraud and other application quality issues. Apple is also preparing to settle on “‘connect’ applications that may include pornography or be used to facilitate prostitution ”, as well as applications facilitating the legal sale of cannabis, which must now officially be“ geo-restricted to the corresponding legal jurisdiction ”.

In addition to the new guidelines, Apple also recently rolled out a new and improved “Report a problem” button, who has been missing for years but has now returned from the dead. With the new button, users can more easily alert the company to apps that appear likely to be scams, whereas the previous system only allowed users to report “a quality issue.”