During the WWDC 2021 event, Apple made a slew of policy changes for the App Store, tweaking the rules for everything from bounty hunting to whether or not Roblox is a game. Now that the WWDC 2022 event is set to kick off on June 6, Apple reminds developers that it is ready to flip the switch for some policy updates that were previously delayed.
Two App Store rule changes that Apple confirms will take effect June 30: a requirement that apps offering paid online group services use the in-app payment system, and a requirement that developers offer easy account deletions (including stored personal data) in any app that allows users to create an account.
The policy on online group services (such as classes and events) wasn’t part of the WWDC 2021 suite of changes — it actually predates that, but Apple has delayed enforcing it three times. The first delay came in 2020 after Facebook complained it would unjustifiably affect vulnerable small businesses, and then another delay came in spring 2021. It was finally supposed to go into effect last January, along with the policy to allow users to delete accounts from within an app.
But on January 22Apple has pushed the deadline for both changes to June 30 for a few more months, as it would give developers more time to update their apps, and we don’t expect any more delays now that Apple has sent reminders. One is a note about the account deletion requirement, which you can read below, but both policies are mentioned on the upcoming changes page for developers.
Requirements for Deleting Apple Accounts:
The option to delete accounts should be easy to find in your app.
If your app offers Sign in with Apple, you must use the Sign in with Apple REST API to revoke user tokens when deleting an account.
It is not enough just to provide the option to temporarily disable or deactivate an account. People should be able to delete the account along with their personal information.
Apps in highly regulated industries can provide additional customer service flows to confirm and facilitate the account deletion process.
Follow applicable legal requirements for storing and retaining user account information and handling account deletion. This includes complying with local laws in different countries or regions. As always, please contact your legal advisor.
