Google Play rejects updates due to - Permission use is not directly related to your app’s core purpose

[MaximSamolovov]

Hello, we are faced with the problem of publishing our applications using the zendesk plugin.
Google rejects the updates and asks you to use partial access instead of full access to the gallery. We can't influence these regressions, except to delete all access to the gallery in the file altogether. AndroidManifest.xml using this code:

    <uses-permission
        android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_IMAGES"
        tools:node="remove" />
    <uses-permission
        android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_VIDEO"
        tools:node="remove" />

but in this case, access to the gallery disappears in the zendeska widget. And users can't attach photos and videos.

Here's what Google Play support says with the update:

Issue found: Permission use is not directly related to your app’s core purpose.

We found that your app is not compliant with how the READ_MEDIA_IMAGES/READ_MEDIA_VIDEO permissions are allowed to be used.

Your app only requires one-time or infrequent access to media files on the device. Only apps with a core use case that require persistent access to photo and video files located in shared storage on devices are allowed to use photo and video permissions. For more details on the requirements, please see Google Play's Photo and Video Permissions policy.

Issue details

We found an issue in the following area(s):

Policy Declaration for Photo Picker: Your app only requires one-time or infrequent access to media files on the device.
Version code 1071: In-app experience

To bring your app into compliance, follow these steps:

To comply with Google Play's Photo and Video Permissions policy, please adjust the following requirements.

Remove the use of READ_MEDIA_IMAGES/READ_MEDIA_VIDEO permission from all version codes within the submission. This includes both production and testing tracks.
If your app requires one-time, or limited use of photo and video file, remove the permissions and consider using the Android photo picker.
Send changes to Google for review. Go to Publishing overview
About the Photo and Video Permissions policy

READ_MEDIA_IMAGES/READ_MEDIA_VIDEO is a restricted permission and apps must only declare this permission if their core functionality requires broad access to all photo or video files on the device. Apps that request this restricted permission are subject to review, and those that do not meet the acceptable use case criteria will be disallowed from publishing on Google Play.

If your app requires one-time, or limited use of photo and video files, you are requested to use a system picker such as the Android photo picker.

For more information on the Android Photo picker, please see this developer guidance.

[urvashi-k-7span]

Same issue , @chyiiiiiiiiiiii. Any update on this?

[nikunj-p-7span]

Same issue here.

[AtamerSahin]

Same issue , @chyiiiiiiiiiiii. Any update on this?

Hi everyone, due to a similar issue please pull the package in and upgrade the native Zendesk version. Afterwards, just in case, also perform the tools node removal in the main project. Zendesk has already fixed this in its latest version.