In an effort to combat the rise of predatory lending practices from some lenders that harass borrowers in Pakistan, Google has announced today to restrict apps that offer loans to individuals from accessing private user information such as images, videos, and contacts.
In its policy preview of financial services that becomes effective on May 31, 2023 Google said that “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.”
According to recent reports, a developing trend has caused alarm since some people who have obtained loans through mobile apps have been subjected to debt collection harassment. These debt collectors allegedly gained access to the borrowers’ personal contacts and informed loved ones of unpaid obligations.
The new policy details that:
- Each Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) lender can only publish one Digital Lending App (DLA). Developers who attempt to publish more than one DLA per NBFC risk the termination of their developer account and any other associated accounts.
- Complete the Personal Loan App Declaration for Pakistan, and provide the necessary documentation to support your declaration.
- You must submit proof of approval from the SECP to offer or facilitate digital lending services in Pakistan.
- You must, upon Google Play’s request, provide additional information or documents relating to your compliance with the applicable regulatory and licensing requirements.
Google has previously been chastised for failing to take aggressive action against unscrupulous loan apps. After initially removing many personal loan apps from the Play Store in response, Google has now implemented a permanent policy.
