Category: AdMob

How to fix the “Families Data Practices” Google Play issue

Motivation:

You got the “Families Data Practices” issue from Google Play.
The detailed information is “your app or an SDK in your app transmits device identifier(s) from children or users of unknown age”.
This issue happens to your Android app with AdMob SDK.
You need to fix it to prevent your app from being removed from Google Play.

Solution:

1. Upgrade the AdMob SDK (Android) to the latest version.

2. Find the code below.

MobileAds.initialize(this, new OnInitializationCompleteListener() {
@Override
public void onInitializationComplete(InitializationStatus initializationStatus) {
}
});

3. Add the code below after the code above.

		RequestConfiguration requestConfiguration = MobileAds.getRequestConfiguration()
					.toBuilder()
					.setTagForChildDirectedTreatment(
							RequestConfiguration.TAG_FOR_CHILD_DIRECTED_TREATMENT_TRUE)
					.setMaxAdContentRating(RequestConfiguration.MAX_AD_CONTENT_RATING_G)
					.build();
			MobileAds.setRequestConfiguration(requestConfiguration);

TAG_FOR_CHILD_DIRECTED_TREATMENT_TRUE indicates that you want your content treated as child-directed for purposes of COPPA. This will prevent the transmission of the Android advertising identifier (AAID).

Rated G: General audiences – All ages admitted.

4. Add below code to AndroidManifest.xml to disable Analytics data collection.

<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID" tools:node="remove" />
<meta-data android:name="firebase_analytics_collection_deactivated" android:value="true" />
<meta-data android:name="google_analytics_adid_collection_enabled" android:value="false" />

5. Submit your new build to Google Play.

Include the below message in the review request.

We have fixed it by setting TAG_FOR_CHILD_DIRECTED_TREATMENT_TRUE and MAX_AD_CONTENT_RATING_G as suggested on https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6223431?hl=en.

6. Go to Google Play > Releases overview and check Install base percentage of your new version. Include below note to your Release note:

Families Data Practices issue fix.

7. Submit an appeal with the message below.

We have fixed the issue by 

1. Preventing the transmission of the Android advertising identifier (AAID) as suggested on https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6048248 , and

2. Disabling Analytics data collection based on https://firebase.google.com/docs/analytics/configure-data-collection?platform=android

Could you please rescan the NEW app, version 9.0, released on Dec 12, 2023 and remove this warning?

How to fill Google Play “Data safety” for an app with AdMob

Motivation:

You have a Google Play application that uses AdMob for displaying ads in order to generate revenue.

Google requires you to complete the data safety section.

There are many options and you are not sure which options should be selected.

Suggestion:

Here are the options that you may select.

1. Does your app collect or share any of the required user data types? – Yes.

2. Is all of the user data collected by your app encrypted in transit? – Yes.

3. My app does not allow users to create an account. – Selected.

4. Do you provide a way for users to request that their data is deleted? – No.

5. Location > Approximate location. – Selected.

6. App activity > App interactions. – Selected.

7. App info and performance > Crash logs. – Selected.

8. App info and performance > Diagnostics. – Selected.

9. Device or other identifiers > Device or other IDs. – Selected.

For each option from 5 to 9:

i) Is this data collected, shared, or both? Shared

ii) Is this data processed ephemerally? No

iii) Is this data required for your app, or can users choose whether it’s collected? Data collection is required (users can’t turn off this data collection)

iv) Why is this user data shared? Advertising or marketing

Reference: https://developers.google.com/admob/android/privacy/play-data-disclosure

How to fix the “Restricted ad serving – Google-served ads obscuring content” AdMob issue

Motivation:

You got the “Restricted ad serving” issue from AdMob.
The detailed information is “Google-served ads obscuring content”.
This issue happens to your iOS app.
You need to fix it to remove your ad serving restriction.

Solution:

1. Upgrade the AdMob SDK (iOS) to the latest version.

2. Review your UI to ensure that there are overlapped contents. If there is one then you may add margins to their frames to separate them.

Example code:

view.layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsets(top: 8, left: 8, bottom: 8, right: 8)

3. Repeat requesting a review in AdMob Policy center until it is approved. Typically it takes about a week for the restriction to be removed.

Include the below message in the review request.

We have fixed it.

How to fix the “Restricted ad serving – Site Behavior: Navigation” AdMob issue

Motivation:

You got the “Restricted ad serving” issue from AdMob.
The detailed information is “Site Behavior: Navigation”.
This issue happens to your Android app.
You need to fix it to remove your ad serving restriction.

Solution:

1. Upgrade the AdMob SDK (Android) to the latest version.

2. Review all URLs in your application code to ensure that there is no broken link.

3. Upgrade all URLs with HTTP protocol to HTTPS protocol in your application code if there are any.

4. Repeat requesting a review in AdMob Policy center until it is approved. Typically it takes about a week for the restriction to be removed.

Include the below message in the review request.

We have fixed it.

How to fix the “Google-served ads obscuring content” issue

Motivation:

You got the “Google-served ads obscuring content” issue from AdMob.
This issue happens to your iOS app.
You need to fix it to re-enable your ad serving.

Solution:

1. Upgrade the AdMob SDK to the latest version.

2. Modify your code to add space between Google ads and your content.
The typical code is as follows.

view.layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsets(top: 16, left: 16, bottom: 16, right: 16)

3. Request a review in AdMob Policy center.
Include the below message in the review request.

We have upgraded the AdMob SDK to the latest version (9.5.0) and added space between the content and the ads. Code: view.layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsets(top: 16, left: 16, bottom: 16, right: 16).

How to relink an AdMob app with App Store app

Motivation: You have an AdMob application that already links to an incorrect Google Play app or Apple Store application. You want to change this incorrect link.

Solution: If the app is already linked, you can’t change it. For Android apps, you can add additional stores after linking.

The only thing that you can do at this moment is to go to Apps > VIEW ALL APPS, then find the correct app you linked, and create a new ad unit for use.

Reference: https://support.google.com/admob/answer/10037806