Apple announced a new age verification tool in the United States and abroad to ensure that users wishing to download certain applications are at least 18 years old to comply with laws enacted by certain U.S. states and foreign countries.
The tool is being rolled out in Utah, Louisiana, Brazil, Australia and Singapore, countries that all have laws requiring age restrictions for users of apps rated 18 and older.
App developers in these regions can now use Apple’s updated Age Rating Application Programming Interface (API), currently in beta testing, to determine a user’s age range, the company announced Tuesday.
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Apple’s new age verification tool is rolling out in Utah, Louisiana, Brazil, Australia and Singapore to prevent underage users from accessing apps rated 18+. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images/Getty Images)
In Utah and Louisiana, application developers can request user age categories on the API. The tools complement previous efforts to help developers meet compliance obligations in both U.S. states.
“New signals are now available through the Declared Age Range API, including whether age-related regulatory requirements apply to the user and whether the user is required to share their age range,” Apple’s announcement said. “The API will also let you know if you need to get permission from a parent or guardian for important app updates for a child.”
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Apple’s new age restriction feature will be rolled out in two US states: Utah and Louisiana. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Developers can use the Declared Age Range API to present important update notifications to adults in these states through the Significant Update Action, now in beta,” the tech company said. “When releasing a significant update, developers should follow human interface guidelines and provide users with a meaningful description of the update.”
In Brazil, Australia and Singapore, users will not be able to download apps rated 18+ unless they are confirmed to be old enough through “reasonable methods”.
“The App Store will make this confirmation automatically,” Apple said in its announcement. “However, developers may have separate obligations to independently confirm that their users are adults. To help, the Declared Age Range API, available on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, provides developers with a useful signal about a user’s age.”
Apple’s age restriction feature in the App Store will apply to all of Singapore, Brazil and Australia. (Faris Hadziq/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Age categories of users in Brazil will be shared with app developers when the user or a parent or guardian agrees to send the age category. The API will also return a signal from user device on the age verification method.
“For developers distributing their apps in Brazil, if you identify your app as containing loot boxes via the age rating questionnaire, your app’s age rating on the Brazil storefront will be updated to 18+,” Apple said.
