Apple announces new methods to protect children's safety, adding APIs that allow developers to check users' age ranges and ways to change content displayed to children
On February 27, 2025 local time, Apple revamped the settings to protect children's accounts. This includes an updated age rating system and an easier way for parents to set up their children's accounts. Other features include a way to change the content children see in the App Store and a new API that allows developers to check age ranges to provide children with an age-appropriate experience.
Helping Protect Kids Online
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Apple Overhauls Child Account Setup and Adds New Age Assurance Features - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/02/27/apple-child-age-verification-overhaul/
Apple reveals new child safety features and its approach to age assurance - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/02/27/apple-age-verification-child-safety-features/
Apple outlines upcoming changes to child safety and age assurance | Macworld
https://www.macworld.com/article/2622494/apple-outlines-upcoming-changes-to-child-safety-and-age-verification.html
Apple has updated some settings and introduced new ways to give parents more control over what their kids see and do online, while protecting user privacy.
Apple has updated its age rating system to make it easier for parents to set up age-appropriate accounts for their children. When creating an account, Apple now asks the age range of the person using the device, a feature that is being rolled out early in iOS 18.4 beta. Also, if the account belongs to a child under 13, the option 'Connect to Family' will appear. Children need parental consent to use the App Store and other device features, but Apple is also working to simplify this process. For example, at the time of writing, Apple asks for credit card information when installing a new app. But going forward, parents can use their registered payment information and children can simply use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate app installations.
Children can also create their own accounts and immediately use the device, even when their parents are not nearby. Age restrictions will be automatically applied to web content and messages, and some features, such as installing apps, will display notifications asking children to complete the parental consent process and set up their account, with functionality restricted until they complete the process. In the second half of 2025, parents will be able to modify the age range of existing child accounts if the age setting is inaccurate.
Additionally, developers will have to provide details like whether their app contains user-generated content or ads, whether it requires age verification, whether it offers parental controls, etc. This information will be shared on the App Store product page.
Apple has also updated its content age ratings. Previously, Apple divided age ranges into four bands (4+, 9+, 12+, 17+), but now there are five bands (4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, 18+). Apple will also no longer show age-restricted apps where apps are advertised on the App Store, and will instead highlight age-appropriate apps.
The restrictions for each age group are as follows:
Ages 4 and up: The app does not contain any offensive content.
Ages 9+: The App may contain content that is not suitable for users under the age of 9, including but not limited to mild cartoon or fantasy violence, profanity, crude humor, mature, suggestive, or horror or horror-themed content.
13+: The App may contain content not suitable for users under the age of 13, including but not limited to mild medical or therapy focused content, references to alcohol, tobacco and drug use, sexual content, nudity, realistic violence, simulated gambling, frequent profanity, crude humor, horror and horror-themed content, and cartoon and fantasy violence.
16+: The App may contain content not suitable for users under the age of 16, such as unrestricted web access, frequent or intense adult or suggestive content, and medical or therapy focused content.
18+: The App may contain content that is not suitable for users under the age of 18, including gambling, simulated gambling, references to alcohol, tobacco, or drug use, sexual content, nudity, and realistic violence.
Apple will provide developers with a declarative age range API to specify a user's age range to prevent children from viewing adult content within the app. By requiring apps to specify an age range, apps will no longer have access to information such as the child's birth date. Parents will also be able to choose whether or not to share age range information with developers. Apple will no longer collect birth date information at the App Store level because it aims to collect minimal data to provide users with what they need, and all users must pass that information on regardless of whether they use age-restricted apps.
In the US, a bill to impose age restrictions on app stores is being proposed to regulate smartphone use by young people due to concerns about teen mental health and the misuse of social media platforms. Apple is opposed to the move, and multiple media outlets have pointed out that the new child safety measures announced this time are an attempt to block the bill from being passed.
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in Mobile, Posted by logu_ii