Are Unity Ads compliant with Google Play "Designed for Families" program?

On page https://play.google.com/intl/en_ALL/about/families/designed-for-families/ads-and-monetization/ is a statement:

"(...)Ads displayed to child audiences must comply with laws relating to advertising to kids. For example, your app must disable interest-based advertising and remarketing, and should comply with child relevant regulations and industry standards for all countries where the app is distributed. (...)
Apps that participate in the Designed for Families program must present ad content that is appropriate for children. (..)
To find out if your ad network is compliant with Designed for Families ads policies, contact your ad network to ask them about their content policies and advertising practices."

So my question is, are Unity ads compliant with Designed for Families restrictions? I am particularly interested in Unity ads served in games that are NOT designed primarily for children under 13 in the USA.

 

Just wanted to check - did you ever find out an answer to this query? I'm currently working on a game aimed at young children and the ads never seem to be what I'd call, child friendly, even with the ad filtering setup correctly. Google Play won't publish the game either due to this issue.

 

Hello! Anyone got any news on this?
I got my app rejected because of what i believe is unity ads.
I don't have any function in my game that could collect information, more than stuff i store locally with PlayerPrefs. highscores (no name) and amount of coins collected, etc.

I got this message from google

Publishing status: Rejected

Your app has been rejected and wasn't published due to a policy violation. If you submitted an update, the previous version of your app is still available on Google Play.

Issue: Violation of Families Policy Requirements

We have detected that your app collects personal information, however it was not disclosed in your Play Console. Apps that include children in the target audience must comply with all Families Policy Requirements, which requires that you disclose the collection of any personal information from children in your app, including through APIs and SDKs called or used in your app.

Next steps: Submit your app for another review

1. Read through the Data Collection section of Families Policy Requirements and make appropriate changes to your app.
   
   
2. Review the App Content > Target audience and content section in your Play Console and be sure to accurately disclose the collection of personal information. And if applicable, you must collect verifiable parental consent before collecting any personal information from children.
   
   
3. Before submitting, make sure that your app is compliant with all other Developer Program Policies. Additional enforcement could occur if there are further policy violations.
   
   
4. Select Store presence > Store listing and click Resubmit app.
   

It is not clear how to disclose and what to disclose on the playstore.
Thank you!

 

I also got rejected from "Designed for Families" program and I got the following explanation with screenshots:

The ad content in your app does not comply with Families Policy Requirements.

• For example, your app contains an ad for dating
• For example, your app contains an ad for gambling
• For example, your app contains an ad for contests or sweepstakes promotions
• For example, your app contains an ad for sexual content
• For example, your app contains an ad for alcohol
• For example, your app contains an ad for drugs/tobacco or uncontrolled substances

​

So I guess the answer is: no, Unity Ads are not compliant with "Designed for Familes" program... unless you can set the age limits in your Unity Ads Dashboard (Monetization > Ad filters):



I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like it should work.

I hope this helps. Cheers.

 

@barciu
hello,
Did your game get approval from google , If yes and hope so, what are the categories that you selected in the Filter .
This information will help many devs here.

 

Yea, I am getting hit for gambling ads right now, even though I have the filters set up.

 

I got rejected by exactly the same ad you've shown on that screen shot three months later!!! It's dull, indeed. Unity Ads is not doing its job in filtering out what should obviously be filtered out if you click on excluding Casino / Lottery & Gambling.

Please, fix that! My game is being rejected because of this nonsense

 

It is very inconsiderate to keep answering this since months ago. The Unity Ads mediator is simply showing inappropriate ads for children. You're all like, "we can't advise you what to do" -- well, I'll advice you what to do very respectfully: please fix the ad mediator so that it actually does not show what it is filtered out to not show.

It is a shame that since months ago, many developers are struggling to publish their apps targeted to children just because the UnityAds mediator, which is supposed to be certified, is not working as it should.

Please, don't just answer "we can't advice you" -- you've been answering that regarding this issue for months (e.g., https://forum.unity.com/threads/how-to-deal-with-new-google-play-families-policy.745847/, https://forum.unity.com/threads/are...le-play-designed-for-families-program.543407/) -- we need help! real help! the thing just doesn't work

--> I got rejected even after excluding all this:

 

did you check the dont show ads that are 13 or 17+? if no please do thats one of the other reason

 

Yes. I had it as low as I could (under 5). The filtering is not working, some ads seem to be bypassing the regulations in Unity Ads network.

 

I got the same problem, also a Poker App which does not get filtered out by Unity.

 

In the end, I had to contact Unity Support who had a look at the adverts appearing and then did some work their end. I had everything set up okay (the unity support technician confirmed this), it just wasn't working. To be fair to them, they were very swift at sorting it out but it was annoying that I couldn't do anything on my end.