Android App Development Top 5 Key Legal Considerations

Android App Development: Top 5 Key Legal Considerations

In case you are stubborn about your decision of Android app development for your new business, then you have to know a few things like the following.

Where can you build your application?

Which app development practice can reduce legal risk?

How to reduce or nullify legal issues of android app development? etc. 

If all these are the same as the questions in your mind then it is the right place and time to clarify them. 

Here are the Top 5 Key Legal Considerations

We from Uplogic Technologies wish to create a basic awareness of legal mattresses related to Android app development. So, we discuss the following top 5 legal considerations through this blog. 

  1. Non-disclosure Agreement,
  2. Independent Contractor Agreement,
  3. Privacy Policy & Data Protection,
  4. Terms and Conditions, and 
  5. Play Store Requirements. 

By going through this, you can get the answers to your basic questions on Android app development easily. 

What is NDA in App Development?

A Non-disclosure Agreement is usually known as NDA. It is nothing but a legal contract between two or more parties to promise to keep a thing confidential. Usually, when two parties enter into a conversation or a negotiation with sensitive data they sign an NDA. 

As it ensures data security often it is also known as a “Confidentiality Agreement”. In case any party breaches the agreement, another party can seek court intervention. 

In the app development industry, the NDA plays a huge role to build trust between two parties (an App development company and a client).

By signing an NDA, the client’s product idea or business idea shared with the app development company is kept safe and confidential. While signing an NDA, you should note its most important six elements. 

  • Participants – Before signing an NDA, you should ensure that each participating party’s name must be included. It may be a specific company, a representative of the company, or anything like this. 
  • Proper Definition – If there is an NDA, then it must define which data should be maintained confidential. For example, clients’ financial data, know-how, operational flow, marketing strategies, trade data, app flow ideas, solution ideas, and others. 
  • Obligations – Along with the definition, the NDA must include the obligations of each party in detail and properly. 
  • Exclusions – Likewise defining confidential data, an NDA needs to contain data that are not confidential.
  • Term – One of the most important elements is the duration or validity of NDA. It can be one year, two years, or anything.
  • Penalties – In some cases, NDA includes penalties in case of breaking the contract.

Along with this miscellaneous provisions and legal matters. While approaching a mobile app development company, you have to sign an NDA to protect your business idea.

What is an Independent Contractor Services Agreement?

The second thing we are going to explore is the Independent Contractor Agreement (ICA).  When you hire an Android app development company to develop your business application, you need an ICA. It describes the rights, obligations, services, and other working methods.  Simply, it delivers the liabilities and responsibilities to both parties. It allows the contractor to work independently. 

It describes the methods of collaborative working like the resources involved, tools and tech stacks to be used, the process of communications, meeting protocols, etc.

Another important thing in this ICA is, “Force Majeure”. It clearly explains the scenarios and the critical events beyond the hands of two parties when both parties can be free from their obligations and liability.

“Exit plans” is also another common thing that helps two parties end the collaboration before mentioned duration. 

In case of any mistakes in these documents may cause legal issues on or before the Android app development process. 

Data Protection and Privacy Policy

Your Android application must follow the privacy policy and data protection act of a certain nation or union territory. For example, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the privacy and security law of the European Union. In case you want to launch your application in any country which is a part of the EU, then your application comes under this law. 

Likewise, each nation has a unique privacy and data security law and order itself. In case of any user data leakages, you as the owner of the application are responsible and answerable. That’s why it is advisable to hire a lawyer or legal document writer to make this privacy and policies from your side. 

To avoid such legal issues after launching your application, you should follow a few tips.

  • Collecting only essential data from the users can reduce the level of risk.
  • Be cautious about using user data only for the purpose that you collect.
  • Enhance security from your technical side. 
  • Provide proper disclosure agreement in case of any need, etc.

However, you need to focus on this part to avoid financial loss, reputational problems, etc. 

What should you Say in the Terms and Conditions?

Most people haven’t any idea about how terms and conditions differ from privacy policies. The major difference is the privacy policy is crafted with the aim of protecting your user data and rights. Meanwhile, the terms and conditions help you to protect your business app by describing rules followed in your app, limitations, liabilities, and others.

After accepting the terms and conditions the users can access your application. It’s crafted based on the law of the nation where your firm is located. Additionally, it includes confidentiality matters, refund policies, termination clauses, security notices, copyrights notes, and others.

In most cases, the terms and conditions are not mandatory. But having such one can prevent your business from legal issues. 

However, both privacy policies and the terms and conditions can be crafted with the help of a legal advisor. This process also is supported by your app development company. 

Play Store Requirements for Android App Development

The above said legal requirements help you to prevent issues in the pre-development stage and after launching your application. 

But while launching your Android application in the Play Store, your app should have some essential requirements with it. That is “Play Store Requirements”

To launch your application in Google PlayStore, it should be converged with Developer Program Policies. If not, it will be removed from Google Play.  For example, your Android app should target Android 10 with at least an API level of 29 to publish your app in Google Play. It accepts the Wear OS application. 

In addition to this, your app should follow the quality guidelines of Google Play and others. Recently, Google Play has updated its policies for the upcoming days. 

So, That’s all. 

Summing Up

These are the five important legal considerations in the Android app development process. Simply, you can hire a top-rated Android App Development company to develop an application that compromises all these legal requirements.

We at Uplogic Technologies do multiple testing like internal testing, closed testing, open testing, and others to ensure the compatibility of your Android application with store regulations. And we also provide complete support for legal requirements. As we support NDA and other agreements we keep your business idea safe. 

Simply we have effective experts who can take care of all legal requirements and your customer needs. That’s why we are recognized by many entrepreneurs around the globe for developing mobile apps. 

About the author

Steven Smith

I am working as a Senior product developer at Uplogic Technologies Pvt Ltd. Uplogic Technologies is a leading producer of mobile and web app development solutions in the market. We have delivered web and mobile app solutions for numerous clients comes across the world.

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