Where to add IsMonitoringTool meta-data flag in android manifest

Question

In order to meet google's recent stalkerware policy, developer needs to add isMonitoringTool flag if application collecting certain sensitive user data using app. Can someone help me to define this flag in the manifest.

Here is the document where they have mentioned to do so, https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/12253906#stalkerware_preview

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

This is a guess, since I cannot find any meaningful documentation at all. And at this point, I don't even know how to test the theory. But I'll offer my guess anyway.

I'm going to guess it goes inside your application node. Like this (only your manifest probably has a ton more stuff in it):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest>
    <application>
        <meta-data android:name="IsMonitoringTool" android:value="true" />
    </application>
</manifest>

My guess is based on the fact that I inherited a manifest with other meta-data nodes in that location. Of course, it also has meta-data nodes under each activity node, but that location doesn't really seem to make sense for this flag.

What's more, the documentation you linked to says that the "app" needs to use the flag, so that matches putting it under the application node. So there is my unverifiable guess. I suppose we'll find out if I'm right on November 1, 2022, when this becomes required for relevant apps. https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9934569

Unless someone who works for Google wants to chime in...?

You can see the extensive search results (!) that a Google search gives me: