Requirements for news and magazine apps (original) (raw)

This article provides an overview of steps that developers can take to comply with the News and magazine apps policy requirements.

Overview of requirements

All news and magazine apps in scope of the News and Magazine policyand must complete the declaration in Play Console.

Who should complete the declaration?

All news and magazine apps must complete the declaration that:

• have previously declared as a news or magazine app on the Play Console;
• are currently listed under the "News and Magazine" category on Google Play and
• describe themselves as "news" or "magazines" in their app titles, icons, developer names or descriptions.

Please note that if your app has any or all of these characteristics, you will be prompted in Console to complete the declaration. All other apps are out of scope.

Which apps are in-scope/out-of-scope?

Examples of apps within the "News and Magazine" category that this policy covers include:

• Latest news apps
• Newspaper apps
• Magazine apps
• Breaking news apps
• Local news and magazine apps
• Daily and weekly news and magazine apps
• News and magazine aggregator apps (including those that use AI)
• Apps with the word "News" in app titles, icons, or developer names
• Apps with the word "Magazine" in app titles, icons or developer names.

The following apps are out-of-scope of this policy:

• Media aggregator apps
• Media streaming apps
• Apps that contain primarily user generated content (for example, social media apps)
• Apps whose primary purpose is to sell products and services.

Note: Media apps that stream or offer a range of content, including but not limited to news and magazine related programs, are out-of-scope of the policy.

What is required of in-scope apps?

Every news and magazine app must fully complete the declaration in Play Console. Your answers should be based on what is relevant and pertinent for your app.

If the developer has multiple apps that are in-scope, a separate declaration must be completed for each app.

Please note that it is the responsibility of the developer to update any information that has changed once the declaration has been completed.

What questions are included?

The declaration questions reflect current global industry and regulatory trends, including the ISO standard developed by journalists and media entities.

As such, the declaration covers a limited set of key questions about the app and the parent news or magazine entity. App developers must answer all questions.

For any information disclosed in the declaration, you can provide the same information in your store listing’s metadata.

How does an app complete and submit the declaration?

When you're ready to start, you will complete and submit your declaration in Play Console.

There is additional guidance in Play Console to help you successfully complete the declaration.

When does the declaration need to be completed?

From Aug 27, 2025 onwards, all news and magazine apps must complete and submit a declaration. If you are unable to complete the declaration by the specified time, you can request an extension via your Console profile.

Are there additional policy requirements?

What must I do to meet these policy requirements?

To ensure your news and magazine apps comply, please follow the guidance below.

1. Ensure you provide contact information:

• Make sure that your contact information is provided via a URL and can be found in-app (in addition to any other contact information you may offer your users).

Note: Please use the same URL as you have provided in your Console declaration.

• Make sure the information is easy-to-find and up-to-date (such as either a contact email or a phone number).

Note: Providing only social media account links is not compliant with the policy.

1. Ensure timely and relevant content:

• Make sure your content is not static and is up-to-date.
• To ensure there is no static content:
  • All news and magazine apps that provide "current events and news" are expected to have regularly updated content that is not more than 30 days old.
  • All other news and magazine apps should have regularly updated content that is not more than three months old to remain in this app category.
• To ensure that all content is up-to-date:
  • All news and magazine apps articles should have a clear date for when its content was last published.
• Make sure your app has content associated with news and magazine apps.
  • Refrain from having affiliate marketing or ad revenue as the app’s primary purpose.
  • Please note that news and magazine apps may use ads and other forms of marketing to monetize. This is permitted as long as the app’s primary purpose isn’t to sell products and services or generate advertising revenue.

1. Ensure you provide details on the sources of articles:

• Make sure to include the source of each news article (including, but not limited to, the original publisher or author).

Note: If it is not customary to provide individual author names, make sure the news and magazine app is listed as the original publisher of the articles.

Additional notes

As per the requirements of Rule 5 of the Indian Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (Intermediary and Digital Media Rules, 2021), Google is required to inform you that, in addition to the applicable Terms of Service, publishers of news and current affairs content may be required by Rule 18 of the Intermediary and Digital Media Rules to furnish the details of their accounts on Google Play to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

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