  Mobile apps used by children often make use of harmful techniques, such as
data tracking and targeted advertising. Previous research has suggested that
developers face several systemic challenges in designing apps that prioritise
children's best interests. To understand how developers can be better
supported, we used a Research through Design (RtD) method to explore what the
future of privacy-friendly app development could look like. We performed an
elicitation study with 20 children's app developers to understand their needs
and requirements. We found a number of specific technical requirements from the
participants about how they would like to be supported, such as having
actionable transnational design guidelines and easy-to-use development
libraries. However, participants were reluctant to adopt these design ideas in
their development practices due to perceived financial risks associated with
increased privacy in apps. To overcome this critical gap, participants
formulated socio-technical requirements that extend to other stakeholders in
the mobile industry, including parents and marketplaces. Our findings provide
important immediate and long-term design opportunities for the HCI community,
and indicate that support for changing app developers' practices must be
designed in the context of their relationship with other stakeholders.
