COVID-19 Apps and the App Store policy is unclear 5.1.1

I have questions around this policy why are all the apps in the App Store related to COVID-19 not allowed in the store? Also what is defined as "governmental entity, hospital, insurance company, non-governmental organization, or university. " These are not defined

Also user "information in highly-regulated fields, such as healthcare, should be submitted by a legal entity that provides these services, and not by an individual developer.

I'm reaching out to see if other App developers experienced the same situation or how anyone for that matter can publish anything on the COVID-19 to assist users?

Guideline 5.1.1 - Legal - Privacy - Data Collection and Storage

We found in our review that your app provides services or requires sensitive user information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis, services and information related to it are considered to be part of the healthcare industry. In addition, the seller and company names associated with your app are not from a recognized institution, such as a governmental entity, hospital, insurance company, non-governmental organization, or university.

Per section 5.1.1 (ix) of the App Store Review Guidelines, apps that provide services or collect sensitive user information in highly-regulated fields, such as healthcare, should be submitted by a legal entity that provides these services, and not by an individual developer.

Next Steps

To resolve this issue, your app must be published under a seller and company name of a recognized institution. If you have developed this app on behalf of such an institution, please advise your client to add you to the development team of their Apple Developer account. If your client does not yet have an Apple Developer account, they can enroll for one as an organization through the Apple Developer website.

Resources

For additional details, please refer to the update on the Apple Developer website about Ensuring the Credibility of Health & Safety Information.

Answered by dteo_appetiser in 692808022

I believe this just means that you have to submit your app as an organisation developer account, not individual developer account.

This will require you to submit all required information to that effect, particularly, DUNS, which globally identifies business entities.

In some other cases you may be required to also submit other information in some areas such as legal accreditations / other regulatory information if you're in a regulated industry such as healthcare, financial services, or gambling (as mentioned above) these should also be provided during the sign up process.

Accepted Answer

I believe this just means that you have to submit your app as an organisation developer account, not individual developer account.

This will require you to submit all required information to that effect, particularly, DUNS, which globally identifies business entities.

In some other cases you may be required to also submit other information in some areas such as legal accreditations / other regulatory information if you're in a regulated industry such as healthcare, financial services, or gambling (as mentioned above) these should also be provided during the sign up process.

Never got through this process had to end up removing any reference in my application but was able to get published. I wish there was an example on how to do this process every company I have seen just give up on this because of these crazy requirements this really stifles free enterprise.

I had also received the same message in December and responded in the App Review area for clarification. About two weeks after doing so come January, I was contacted by phone to clarify about how the logic of a feature in my app works. I explained how and then was informed that either my app will be approved, or I will be contacted again to clarify more, or I will receive a message in the Resolution Center explaining what was rejected (but more specifically, I assume).

It's been over 30 days now since that conversation and I can only assume it's still being reviewed...

COVID-19 Apps and the App Store policy is unclear 5.1.1
 
 
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