IOS App submission Export Compliance: Firebase

Question

I am ready to submit my app to the app store, and after doing some research I still can't seem to find any information with regard to firebase in my app.

Is Firebase exempt? all I use it for is analytics and Admob.

so does Firebase utilize encryption and if it does do I have to worry about its export compliance or does Google have it covered?

I will consult a lawyer tomorrow but I am just curious as to what other people have done.

Answer 1

My app uses Firebase. If Firebase was exempt then I would have to add <key>ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption</key><false/> to my Info.plist , which I haven't. My app interacts with things like Firebase Storage, Firebase Database and opens links in Safari. I have been testing it through TestFlight with external users, which requires a beta review, and it passed. So I'm pretty you don't have to worry about it, but I'm not 100% sure.

Update 1

I found an answer to a similar question. It says:

If the only use is an https connection to facebook I would answer no. At WWDC16 I specifically asked this question twice of the security team and was told that they did not consider HTTPS to be encryption for this question.

More:

New US legislation went into effect on September 20th. The new regulation removes the requirement to register your app simply because it uses encryption.

Some links to the 9/20 changes: Changes to BIS's information security controls bring relaxed controls, removal of registration requirement Dentons, US Implements Regulation Changes for Encryption Products, Software and Technology Shadden, Export Administration Regulation (EAR) BIS.

Note that other countries also have regulations covering sale of encryption including France.

How this affects answering the Apple question is unclear. It my app useed encryption directly (my API calls directly to AES for example) I would answer "yes" and supply the above information.

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice.