Inappropriate Content - Play Console Help (original) (raw)

To ensure that Google Play remains a safe and respectful platform, we've created standards defining and prohibiting content that is harmful or inappropriate for our users.

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Sexual Content and Profanity

We don't allow apps that contain or promote sexual content or profanity, including pornography, or any content or services intended to be sexually gratifying. We don’t allow apps or app content that appear to promote or solicit a sexual act in exchange for compensation. We don’t allow apps that contain or promote content associated with sexually predatory behavior, or distribute non-consensual sexual content. Content that contains nudity may be allowed if the primary purpose is educational, documentary, scientific or artistic, and is not gratuitous.

Catalog apps—apps that list book/video titles as part of a broader content catalog—may distribute books (including both ebook and audiobook) or video titles containing sexual content provided the following requirements are met:

• Book/video titles with sexual content represent a minor fraction of the app’s overall catalog.
• The app does not actively promote book/video titles with sexual content. These titles may still appear in recommendations based on user history or during general price promotions.
• The app does not distribute any book/video title that contains child endangerment content, porn, or any other sexual content defined as illegal by applicable law.
• The app protects minors by restricting access to book/video titles containing sexual content.

If an app contains content that violates this policy but that content is deemed appropriate in a particular region, the app may be available to users in that region, but will remain unavailable to users in other regions.

Examples of common violations

• Depictions of sexual nudity, or sexually suggestive poses in which the subject is nude, blurred or minimally clothed, and/or where the clothing would not be acceptable in an appropriate public context.
• Depictions, animations or illustrations of sex acts, or sexually suggestive poses or the sexual depiction of body parts.
• Content that depicts or are functionally sexual aids, sex guides, illegal sexual themes and fetishes.
• Content that is lewd or profane – including but not limited to content which may contain profanity, slurs, explicit text, or adult/sexual keywords in the store listing or in-app.
• Content that depicts, describes, or encourages bestiality.
• Apps that promote sex-related entertainment, escort services, or other services that may be interpreted as providing or soliciting sexual acts in exchange for compensation, including, but not limited to compensated dating or sexual arrangements where one participant is expected or implied to provide money, gifts, or financial support to another participant ("sugar dating").
• Apps that degrade or objectify people, such as apps that claim to undress people or see through clothing, even if labeled as prank or entertainment apps.
• Content or behavior that attempts to threaten or exploit people in a sexual manner, such as creepshots, hidden camera, non-consensual sexual content created via deepfake or similar technology, or assault content.

Hate Speech

We don't allow apps that promote violence, or incite hatred against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, caste, immigration status, or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization.

Apps which contain EDSA (Educational, Documentary, Scientific, or Artistic) content related to Nazis may be blocked in certain countries, in accordance with local laws and regulations.

Examples of common violations

• Content or speech asserting that a protected group is inhuman, inferior or worthy of being hated.
• Apps that contain hateful slurs, stereotypes, or theories about a protected group possessing negative characteristics (for example, malicious, corrupt, evil, etc.), or explicitly or implicitly claims the group is a threat.
• Content or speech trying to encourage others to believe that people should be hated or discriminated against because they are a member of a protected group.
• Content which promotes hate symbols such as flags, symbols, insignias, paraphernalia or behaviors associated with hate groups.

Violence

We don't allow apps that depict or facilitate gratuitous violence or other dangerous activities. Apps that depict fictional violence in the context of a game, such as cartoons, hunting or fishing, are generally allowed.

Examples of common violations

• Graphic depictions or descriptions of realistic violence or violent threats to any person or animal.
• Apps that promote self harm, suicide, eating disorders, choking games or other acts where serious injury or death may result.

Violent Extremism

We do not permit terrorist organizations, or other dangerous organizations or movements that have engaged in, prepared for, or claimed responsibility for acts of violence against civilians to publish apps on Google Play for any purpose, including recruitment.

We don't allow apps with content related to violent extremism, or content related to planning, preparing, or glorifying violence against civilians, such as content that promotes terrorist acts, incites violence, or celebrates terrorist attacks. If posting content related to violent extremism for an educational, documentary, scientific, or artistic purpose, be mindful to provide relevant EDSA context.

Sensitive Events

We don't allow apps that capitalize on or are insensitive toward a sensitive event with significant social, cultural, or political impact, such as civil emergencies, natural disasters, public health emergencies, conflicts, deaths, or other tragic events. Apps with content related to a sensitive event are generally allowed if that content has EDSA (Educational, Documentary, Scientific, or Artistic) value or intends to alert users to or raise awareness for the sensitive event.

Examples of violations

• Lacking sensitivity regarding the death of a real person or group of people due to suicide, overdose, natural causes, etc.
• Denying the occurrence of a well-documented, major tragic event.
• Appearing to profit from a sensitive event with no discernible benefit to the victims.

Bullying and Harassment

We don't allow apps that contain or facilitate threats, harassment, or bullying.

Examples of common violations

• Bullying victims of international or religious conflicts.
• Content that seeks to exploit others, including extortion, blackmail, etc.
• Posting content in order to humiliate someone publicly.
• Harassing victims, or their friends and families, of a tragic event.

Dangerous Products

We don't allow apps that facilitate the sale of explosives, firearms, ammunition, or certain firearms accessories.

• Restricted accessories include those that enable a firearm to simulate automatic fire or convert a firearm to automatic fire (for example, bump stocks, gatling triggers, drop-in auto sears, conversion kits), and magazines or belts carrying more than 30 rounds.

We don't allow apps that provide instructions for the manufacture of explosives, firearms, ammunition, restricted firearm accessories, or other weapons. This includes instructions on how to convert a firearm to automatic, or simulated automatic, firing capabilities.

Marijuana

We don't allow apps that facilitate the sale of marijuana or marijuana products, regardless of legality.

Examples of common violations

• Allowing users to order marijuana through an in-app shopping cart feature.
• Assisting users in arranging delivery or pick up of marijuana.
• Facilitating the sale of products containing THC(Tetrahydrocannabinol), including products such as CBD oils containing THC.

Tobacco and Alcohol

We don't allow apps that facilitate the sale of tobacco or products containing nicotine (such as e-cigarettes, vape pens and nicotine pouches) or encourage the illegal or inappropriate use of alcohol, tobacco, or nicotine.

Additional Information

• Depicting or encouraging the use or sale of alcohol or tobacco to minors is not allowed.
• Implying that consuming tobacco can improve social, sexual, professional, intellectual, or athletic standing is not allowed.
• Portraying excessive drinking favorably, including the favorable portrayal of excessive, binge or competition drinking is not allowed.
• Advertisements, promotions, or prominent featuring of tobacco products (includes ads, banners, categories and links out to tobacco selling sites) is not allowed.
• We may allow the limited sale of tobacco products in food/grocery delivery apps, in certain regions, and subject to age-gating safeguards (such as ID check at delivery).
• We may allow the sale of products marketed as nicotine cessation aids subject to age-gating safeguards.

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