In Apple's guidelines about Offering account deletion in your app, it states the following:
If people need to visit a website to finish deleting their account,
include a link directly to the page on your website where they can
complete the process.
However, in the FAQ section of the same page, it states:
If my app links out to the default web browser for account creation,
does it still need to offer account deletion within the app?
Yes. Additionally, note that linking out to the default web browser to
sign in or register an account provides a poor user experience and is
not appropriate, per App Store Review Guideline 4.
Given the above information, would having a button in the app that says "request account deletion" that opens a website to complete account deletion requests be compliant with Apple's guidelines? In other words, is it ok to just have a website for the account deletion request process (link to this website will be available from the app), or is it required that the account deletion request process be completed on the app itself?
Everything needs to happen within the app, either natively or via an embedded browser for both user sign-ups and user account deletion.
From my experience, Apple doesn't like "Request" or "Deactivate" as a default modus operandi and prefers only "DELETE" and "IMMEDIATELY"
See https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/patterns/managing-accounts/
If you help people create an account within your app or game, you must
also help them delete it, not just deactivate it. In addition to
following the guidelines below, be sure to understand and comply with
your region’s legal requirements related to account deletion and the
right to be forgotten.
Also see https://developer.apple.com/support/offering-account-deletion-in-your-app/
If my app links out to the default web browser for account creation, does it still need to offer account deletion within the app?
Yes. Additionally, note that linking out to the default web browser to
sign in or register an account provides a poor user experience and is
not appropriate, per App Store Review Guideline 4.
See the responses below from Apple on both issues.
Guideline 4.0 - Design
We noticed that the user is taken to the default web browser to sign
in or register for an account, which provides a poor user experience.
Next Steps
To resolve this issue, please revise your app to enable users to sign
in or register for an account in the app.
You may also choose to implement the Safari View Controller API to
display web content within your app. The Safari View Controller allows
the display of a URL and inspection of the certificate from an
embedded browser in an app so that customers can verify the webpage
URL and SSL certificate to confirm they are entering their sign in
credentials into a legitimate page.
and
Guideline 5.1.1(v) - Data Collection and Storage
We noticed that your app supports account creation but does not
include an option to initiate account deletion that meets all the
requirements. Specifically:
Your app only offers to deactivate the account. Temporarily deactivating accounts is not sufficient to meet the account deletion
requirement.
The process for initiating account deletion must provide a consistent,
transparent experience for App Store users.
Next Steps
It would be appropriate to revise your app to address the issues
identified above and resubmit your app once the account deletion
option meets all the requirements.
If you believe your current account deletion option meets all the
requirements, either because your app operates in a highly-regulated
industry or for some other reason, reply to this message and provide
additional information or documentation.
Resources
Review frequently asked questions and learn more about the account deletion requirements.
Yes you have to provide account deletion or account deactivate option on website as well.
Related
As per Apple's App Store review guidelines, if the app I'm making requires sign-in, then I must provide Apple testers with credentials.
My app exclusively uses Google Accounts, and since I am working for an organization, I am required to only allow accounts that are registered in the database as "students". Keep in mind when I say organization, I mean one that is exempt from using "Sign in with Apple".
I created a dummy Google Account to allow sign-in, and provided credentials to Apple. However, they got prompted to enter in a phone number, since their device was not recognized. What can I provide them with so that they will have unconditional access to my account, whether they are on a legitimate device, or a simulator behind a hundred proxies?
2FA is not enabled, nor are any recovery methods specified, so to be fully transparent I am not really sure which phone number Google seems to want. Here is the prompt Apple has got.
I have already enabled the "less secure access" feature in the Google Account dashboard, but seeing as the Apple review process can be quite lengthy, I want to make sure I got this right before submitting.
I have two sign in for my app. One for server authentication and another for normal sign in. How will I inform apple that my app has two sign in? Because in iTunesconnect we can able to enter only one sign in credential. Is there any other way. Please guide.
Hi and welcome to Stackoverflow! The "Review Notes" are a great way to tell the reviewer how to "use" your app and avoid common misconceptions about your app. I've seen a lot of apps there require/have different logins or 3 or more fields to log in (think account ID & password + username).
Additional information about your app that can help during the review process. Include information that may be needed to test your app, such as app-specific settings and test registration or account details. The Review Notes field can contain up to 4000 bytes and can be provided in any language.
If your app delivers streaming video over the cellular network, enter a test stream URL in the Review Notes.
This text is visible only to the Apple review team.
Source: https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/Chapters/Properties.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40011225-CH26-SW6
Hello Everyone I am using the prime 31 facebook plugin for the Unity 3D engine and I am running into an issue of testing out the ability for our users to post a message containing their score onto their facebook wall.
I believe the issue is related to needing to add a publish_permission to my app yet I can't test this feature because I believe I have to have that permission approved to utilize it in my pap.
I also noticed that the approval process calls for explaining your usage of said permission and submitting your app with what I imagine would be a form of implementation .
So I guess my confusion has to do with the general process of having my publish permissions approved and whether or not i can make use of the publish permissions in my not-approved app for testing at the very least .
You should always be able to test your permissions with the admin/test/developer users of the specific app.
Have a look at https://developers.facebook.com/docs/apps/review/login#do-you-need-review which is stating that
...your app's developers will be able to see, and grant, any permission without requiring review by Facebook.
Note: People who are listed in your app's Roles tab will have access to extended permissions without going through review (e.g. publish_actions or manage_pages). For example, if you use the Facebook Plugin for Wordpress to publish your blog posts to your Facebook Page or Profile, you do not need to submit for review so long as all your publishers are listed in your app's Roles tab.
Also, if you're the developer of an app and are the only person using it, then your app doesn't need to go through review. Since you're the developer, all app capabilities should be available. You will still need to take your app out of developer mode, but you should be able to do that without going through review.
We have created an app for an easy mail message system. New users have to create a new account on our website, before they can use our app. The creating of a new account is free. On the login form in the app is a button, which link to the registration form on our website. The review team has reject our app, because this link is not compliant with the guideline rule 11.13. The review team ask us to remove this button. But without this button is the app useless for new users, if they don't know where they can create a new account. I have asked the review team, if they accept our app, when we include the registration form within the app. But they are giving no answers to concept questions.
How would you solve this problem?
I think Apple wants you to make account creation integrated into your app rather than providing a link to account creation on your site.
You could build an account creation interface into your app, or (maybe) alternatively, wrap the account creation UI in a UIWebView or similar control.
See http://developer.appcelerator.com/question/140038/violation-of-apple-review-guild-1113
Basically, keep it all in the app.
I need to add log in screen and registration forum to my application, such that the user register or log in to the application,
is it legal issue or my application will be rejected
You can have a log in screen. Many apps have them.
But Apple has been rejecting apps with a login registration screen, or even a registration web site URL within the app, depending on the exact conditions for that registration. You may have to get users to register for your app outside your app and/or before running your app. Make sure to preregister Apple with a demo account for use during app review.
It also helps greatly if your app has some general usefulness even without registering (e.g. banking apps may have a map to the nearest branch even for users who don't have customer account logins, or some public info about interest rates, etc.).
There are plenty of apps that also live on the web and so require some sort of login, e.g. Foursquare, Facebook
There are no issues at all with creating a login screen for your application. When you submit your app to the App Store, you will be asked to provide login credentials for the testing team to login and test your app. I wouldn't force them to go through the account creation process as it may delay your app getting approved.