Apple expands age-verification tools globally

Apple is introducing a new set of measures aimed at complying with a growing number of age-verification laws in the United States and internationally.

As part of these efforts, the company will restrict downloads of apps rated 18+ in Brazil, Australia, and Singapore, while also implementing additional compliance features for users in Utah and Louisiana in the US, News.Az reports, citing TechCrunch. 

On Tuesday, Apple notified developers that it is expanding its “age assurance” toolkit, including an updated version of its Declared Age Range API, which is currently available for beta testing.

The expanded tools enable developers to access a user’s age category without collecting sensitive personal data such as a date of birth. The development of such technical solutions follows the introduction of new regulations worldwide designed to block or limit access to certain apps — particularly social media platforms — that are restricted to adults aged 18 and over.

In Brazil, for instance, developers can use the Declared Age Range API to determine a user’s age group, provided the user or their parent or legal guardian agrees to share that information.

Additionally, beginning immediately, Apple will prevent users in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore from downloading apps rated 18+ unless they confirm that they are adults. The App Store will handle age verification automatically in these cases. However, Apple emphasized that developers may still need to meet separate legal or regulatory requirements depending on local laws.

In Brazil, developers whose games feature loot boxes — mechanisms that resemble gambling by allowing players to spend money for randomized in-game rewards and which lawmakers argue should not be accessible to minors — will see their apps reclassified with an 18+ age rating.

Within the United States, new users in Utah and Louisiana will also have their age categories shared with developers through the Declared Age Range API. Apple stated that it has broadened its age-rating and parental-permission tools to fulfill its compliance responsibilities in those states.

According to a company blog post, the updated API now provides additional signals, including whether age-related regulatory requirements apply to a user and whether the user is obligated to share their age category. The API can also notify developers if parental or guardian consent is required for significant updates to apps used by children.

Apple previously sought to comply with similar age-assurance regulations in Texas last October but paused certain plans in December while the state’s law faces legal challenges in court. Last year, the company also revamped its age-rating system, introducing more detailed age categories and adding new questions for developers submitting apps for review to ensure clearer compliance standards.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev