Apple Blocks Underage App Downloads with New Age Verification
▼ Summary
– Apple has announced new details about developer tools for age verification to comply with upcoming laws in several U.S. states and countries.
– In Australia, Brazil, and Singapore, users cannot download 18+ apps unless their age is confirmed through methods the App Store can verify.
– Developers may still have independent obligations to confirm user age and can use Apple’s Declared Age Range API for assistance.
– For new Apple Account users in Utah and Louisiana starting on specific dates, age categories will be shared with developers via the Declared Age Range API.
– The API now provides new signals, such as whether regulatory requirements apply and if parental permission is needed for significant app updates for a child.
Apple is implementing stricter age verification protocols for app downloads in specific regions, responding to new legal requirements designed to protect younger users. The company has detailed new tools for developers to comply with upcoming age assurance laws in the United States and other countries. This move directly impacts how users in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore can access adult-rated applications.
In these three countries, users will now be prevented from downloading apps rated 18-plus unless their age has been confirmed through what Apple terms “reasonable methods.” The App Store can handle this verification automatically. However, Apple clarifies that developers themselves may still have separate legal obligations to independently verify a user’s adult status. To assist with this, developers can utilize Apple’s Declared Age Range API, a tool introduced last year that allows apps to request a user’s age range information from Apple’s systems.
The changes extend to new users in specific U.S. states as well. For individuals creating a new Apple Account in Utah starting May 6th, and in Louisiana from July 1st, age categories will be shared with an app when it requests the information via the Declared Age Range API. This provides developers in those jurisdictions with clearer data upfront regarding a user’s age bracket.
Furthermore, Apple is enhancing the Declared Age Range API with additional signals for developers. These new signals will indicate whether age-related regulatory requirements apply to a specific user and if that user is required to share their age range at all. Critically, the API will also notify an app if it needs to obtain parental or guardian permission for significant updates when the account is managed for a child. This layered approach aims to give developers the necessary information to navigate varying regional laws while maintaining a consistent user experience across the App Store.
(Source: The Verge)
