Apple is introducing new age verification tools for developers across several regions, including Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and certain areas of the United States, in reaction to updated App Store guidelines for apps rated 18+. These modifications aim to ensure adherence to age verification laws and regulations.
Effective today, users in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore will be barred from downloading apps rated 18+ unless they can be verified as adults through trustworthy methods. Apple has indicated that while the App Store will perform this verification automatically, developers might also need to verify the age of their users. The revised Declared Age Range API will offer developers valuable age indicators to aid in this effort.
In Brazil, developers using the Declared Age Range API will be able to obtain a user’s age group if the user, or a parent or guardian, agrees to share this data. Moreover, any app that claims to include loot boxes in its age rating questionnaire will be automatically designated as 18+.
For users in Utah, who will need age verification for new Apple Accounts starting May 6, and Louisiana, which will implement this on July 1, Apple will provide age categories to developers upon request via the Declared Age Range API. This API will assist developers in recognizing when age-related regulatory obligations come into play and when parental consent is required for major app updates.
Apple has broadened its resources to support developers in fulfilling compliance requirements for these states, ensuring they can effectively handle age verification processes.
For more information on these updates, developers can consult Apple’s official announcement on their Developer blog.