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Comment by Dragon0 | Hacker News Reader

DO NOT UPLOAD YOUR ID/INFO TO GOOGLE. I put my game on their app store some years ago, and they doxxed me right on the app store. Google posted my name and home address right on the game page. Not great when I was already receiving death threats! Later on, had a rando show up at 3AM one night and had to call the cops out. I moved after that. Google is absolutely not to be trusted to keep this data confidential. If Google demands I do anything with them, I'll just tell my fans to install lineageos or whatever instead -- no way in hell I'm having ANYTHING to do with google ever again. GFY google!

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If you are having random people try to attack you while you are at your home, you need to be prepared. Strengthen your door jambs with nine inch screws to replace the screws your door is mounted to and use metal plates to strengthen the locks (there are kits available at home improvement stores), install adherent plastic frosting on your windows that will slow down break ins by making the window much more annoying to break through, and install surveillence cameras outdoors. On the offensive front, you can consider OC/CS grenades you can throw down the hallway to avoid exposing yourself and handheld pepper spray for non-lethal deterrence at moderate range. Finally, if all else fails, keep a loaded handgun in a easy to use but hard for kids to unlock gun box under your drawer next to your bed. An under barrel flash light severely blinds invaders and makes them think twice about charging you, maximizing the chances that you nobody will get hurt. The door jamb upgrade is the most important one. I have returned home to a severely beaten door with my shattered iron door knocker on the ground laying in front of the door in pieces but the house was impenetrable to the burglar(s) who weren't willing to break through the glass. It also doesn't hurt to install fake $5 security dome cameras around the property.

Or just don't give your home address to Google.

There are many ways your PII can leak

Who doesn't like idea of throwing grenades down their hallway??

You read that whole thing and that's all you took away from it? Pathetic

What do you mean by "Google posted my name and address"? How? Why?

If your app is monetized, the contact details of your "business" are shown in the play store. For many smaller developers, this will just be their home address.

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/thre...

That's absolutely correct.

That's why you have to have a business address, and get all your business admin ducks in a row, even if it's your first real monetized app. Your future self will always thank you!

It’s important to note that even if you app is not monetized and you don’t have any intention to, Google still requires all this information anyway (including uploading an ID picture and proof of address). Nothing really stops Google from publishing this information in the future.

A deleted comment mentioned this is an EU law, which is partially true, but there is also malicious compliance from Google’s side.

It's also a law in California, I'm pretty sure they say it on the page that requires it and that it would be displayed publicly. It was why I let my app expire.

This was not Google's decision, it was forced on them by the EU under their Digital Services Act:

https://9to5mac.com/2024/10/17/developers-address-phone-numb...

The same thing was applied to the Apple store at the same time.

This directive only apply if you are trading (aka making money) with the app. Why does Google force-collect all this information when you can opt to not be a trader (no in-app purchases, no ads, etc)?

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