In order to tackle the predatory behavior from lenders who harass borrowers, Google intends to limit apps that provide loans to individuals from accessing sensitive user information like contacts, photos, and more.
How Did This Happen?
This seems to be part of Google’s increased efforts to address the issue.
Redently, Google released an update regarding its Personal Loans policy for apps on Play Store.
These latest restrictions from Google prevent the apps from accessing external storage, photos, videos, contacts, precise location, and call logs.
This update in Google’s Financial Services policies will be implemented from May 31.
Further, the company said, “Apps that provide personal loans, or have the primary purpose of facilitating access to personal loans (i.e., lead generators or facilitators), are prohibited from accessing sensitive data, such as photos and contacts.”
Why Would This Happen?
It appears that some of the borrowers who get credit through mobile apps face harassment by debt collectors.
These agents have accessed borrowers’ images and contacts and used manipulated images to intimidate them, reportedly.
This has led to targeted individuals taking their own lives, in the extreme cases.
Basically, this trend has raised concerns amongst the safety of borrowers.
Many instances of such harassment were reported in India and Kenya.
Google seems to have responded to alerts from law hundreds and thousands of personal loan apps from the Play Store.
Besides this, the company has also implemented the rules to prohibit unlicensed loan apps from the Play Store.
Reportedly, Google has mandated specific licensing documentation for personal loan apps on the Play Store in Pakistan to ensure their capability to provide credit.
In addition to this, it has also made it obligatory for non-banking financial firms in the country to have only one digital lending app available on the Playstore.
The update mentions that this new policy is being introduced in markets including India, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
