In this lesson, you will learn how to prepare the essential technical documentation required by Apple and Google to prove your app handles user data responsibly during the App Store review process.
When you submit a React Native app to the App Store or Google Play, the review team doesn't just look at your UI—they inspect your "Data Disclosure" forms. Since you’ve already implemented Secure Storage Best Practices and Privacy-First Analytics, you have the foundation needed to complete these forms accurately.
Mapping Code to Compliance
Compliance documentation is essentially a translation layer between your technical implementation and the store’s policy requirements. You aren’t writing new code here; you are creating a map that explains to reviewers how your app honors privacy.
For every piece of data your app collects—like location, device ID, or user email—you must provide:
- The Purpose: Why are you collecting it? (e.g., "Improving app performance via analytics").
- The Destination: Where does it go? (e.g., "Firebase" or "Local device storage only").
- The User Choice: Can the user opt out?
Preparing Your Disclosure Document
Maintain a COMPLIANCE.md file in your project root. This keeps your documentation synced with your codebase. When you use a third-party library, update this file immediately to note what data that library touches.
## Data Collection Disclosure
- **Feature:** Crash Reporting
- **Library:** `react-native-sentry`
- **Data Collected:** Device model, OS version, stack traces.
- **Used for:** Debugging and stability.
- **Privacy Policy Link:** [URL]
Why This Matters
Reviewers often check your app.json (specifically under the ios.infoPlist and android.permissions keys) to see which permissions you are requesting. If your app requests NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription in your Info.plist, but your COMPLIANCE.md says you don’t collect location data, your app will be rejected.
Consistency is the goal. Use your Compliance-Aware Build Profiles to ensure that specific permissions are only included in builds where the documentation matches the actual feature set.
Key Takeaway: Your compliance documentation must be a mirror image of your code; if you don't list a data point in your store submission that is actually present in your Info.plist or AndroidManifest.xml, your app will be rejected.