Do you have any call recording apps on your phone? Then this information is for you. According to Google’s most recent change in developer policies, all call recording apps will be prohibited. As a result, all third-party apps on the Google Play Store will stop working as of May 11. However, the recording feature that comes pre-installed on some phones will not be affected by this change.
According to a post on the Google Play Console support website, due to a change in the policy of the Accessibility API, which is used to provide call recording functionality, Google will prohibit all call recording apps on the Google Play Store. For the sake of privacy and security, this is done. It’s important to keep in mind that call recording laws differ dramatically from country to country. In India, for example, call recording is not permitted.
As per the policy change, the Accessibility UPI now cannot be used to:
- Change user settings without their permission or prevent the ability for users to disable or uninstall any app or service unless authorised by a parent or guardian through a parental control app or by authorised administrators through enterprise management software;
- Workaround Android built-in privacy controls and notifications; or
- Change or leverage the user interface in a way that is deceptive or otherwise violates Google Play Developer Policies.
Furthermore, the Accessibility API, which is designed to assist users with disabilities on Android, cannot be used or requested for remote call audio recording. The use of the accessibility API in the Google Play store listing must be documented.
Google has been working to remove call recording from Android for a long time. Notably, On Android 10, call recording is turned off by default.
As previously stated, the policy change will have no impact on native call recording on phones that come preinstalled, and system apps can basically get any permission they want that third-party apps cannot.
We believe that the decision to completely eliminate call recording apps for the sake of user privacy is unjustified, as many people, including women, journalists, and businesses, need call recording. As a result, removing these apps forces users to download apps from unknown sources.
As the May 11 deadline approaches, let us know what you think about this change and how you plan to record calls in the future in the comments section.
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