Hi guys, so we will soon have encryption for our games. When you submit your game to iTunes Connect Apple asks you about encryption. They say: Do we have to handle this now differently if we use the encryption feature? If yes, what do we have to do?
I am not a lawyer and cannot advise you on what to do. That said there does appear to be a carve out for entertainment and DRM purposes. Both of which MAY apply to games. I am making no claim to be reading this correctly. You should read it yourself and consult a lawyer. https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/encryption/identifying-encryption-items#Three
I think Unity exports are all encrypted as well. Someone with experience here? If you upload a unity project to itunesconnect what do you have to do? Or am I completely mistaken and there is no encryption at all...? Just was a thought that maybe some unity users could help out here. __________________________ This is from Apple: Submitting the App for App Review When you’re ready to submit the app for App Review, iTunes Connect walks you through a final set of questions. Only users with the Admin, Technical, or App Manager role can submit apps for review. Point 6 of this sub-section says: Answer questions about Export Compliance, and if needed, upload encryption authorization documents. Because all apps are loaded on Apple servers in the United States, all apps are subject to U.S. export laws. See Cryptography and U.S. Export Compliance for more details about this step. Then a step further down they say: Cryptography and U.S. Export Compliance U.S. export laws require that products containing encryption be properly authorized for export. When you’re ready to upload your first build for your app or upload a new build, iTunes Connect presents a series of questions regarding software encryption. The questions are designed to determine the level of encryption in the app according to U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) classifications. Based on your answers, you may be required to provide one or more of the following documents: Encryption Registration approval from BIS CCATS approval from BIS French import declaration For more information on BIS requirements for encryption, go to Bureau of Industry and Security Encryption webpage. All apps distributed through the App Store or Mac App Store must go through the encryption review: All apps are uploaded to an Apple server in the United States, which means that your product is exported from the United States and is captured by U.S. export laws. This requirement applies even if you plan to distribute apps only within your own country. Important: If your app requires that you provide additional documents for the encryption review, your app won’t have the Ready for Sale status on the store until Export Compliance has reviewed and approved your documents. The app can’t be distributed for prerelease testing until Export Compliance has reviewed and approved it. If your app is not using encryption and you don’t want to have to answer these questions at the time of submission, you can provide export compliance information with your build. You can also provide new or updated documentation via iTunes Connect to receive the appropriate key string value to include with your build before uploading it to iTunes Connect. To add export compliance documentation in iTunes Connect: Go to the Encryption section under Features. Click the plus sign next to the appropriate platform section. Answer the questions appropriately. Attach the file when prompted. Click Save. For information about adding export compliance keys to your app’s Xcode project, go to the section “Adding Export Compliance Information to Your Project (Optional)” on the “Configuring Your Xcode Project for Distribution” page of Apple’s App Distribution Guide. Your documents will be sent for review immediately and the status of your document will show in Compliance Review. A key value will also be generated automatically that you can include in your Info.plist file. For more information on including the key value with your build, see the Resources and Help section Trade Compliance. You can upload a build without an export compliance key. If you include a key, it can indicate that you do not need export compliance documentation; this requires no approval. If you include a key that references a specific export compliance document, that document must be approved; it cannot be in In Review or Rejected. You can review your answers at any time by clicking the document file name and selecting More Information. If you need to update your documentation or change any of the answers to the questions, you will need to repeat the steps above to add a new document that corresponds with your changes. ________________________ @playsgames6666: you have already submitted a BB2.2.9 game (the pinball game) right? Did you use encryption? And if yes, did you do anything special?
In UE4 , you just select encryption, and .pak file is encrypted (??) , but never ask from iTunes nothing. I think a good answer should be come from BB team , once they add "ecryption" , they should let also some docs. , what you need and to do next.
@Christoph, There are exceptions to the export compliance. I pointed out a couple I felt were valid, @trudnai did as well. If you read the actual law (the link I sent) you will see. But again, I can't tell anyone to do one thing or another. IMHO, this features changes nothing, do the same thing you've always done. If you have questions you definitely need to talk to someone qualified in this area.
Yea i did use the encryption. Sorry for late response, was just waiting for my buddy who published it for me to reply.... He said that he did nothing different from normal submissions, just submitted it as he normally does, and wasn't asked anything more about it, so i guess its all fine to submit as normal. So you can select no on the encryption on the final set of questions in iTunes connect.
I guess encryption mentioned by Apple is in case where you put an app (or game) which can send some forms, messages (encrypted) out of that app or import outsourced and encrypted data. Encryption of build as a file uploaded to AppStore is a different thing and Apple just don't care about it. Am I right or totally wrong?
@Astro Games In my reading that is the case yes, but as @Andy mentioned we are not lawyers so please do not quote these in the court, it is everyones responsibility to answer to those questions to meet the law.