Apple has rolled out new tools to help developers meet age verification requirements for apps in regions like Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Utah, and Louisiana. These updates are in response to new laws that regulate which apps minors can access, particularly those rated 18+.
Apple’s tools, available through the Declared Age Range API, allow developers to identify a user’s age group. In Brazil, users or their guardians can share this information with developers. The API also informs developers when a user’s device has verified their age. Starting February 24, 2026, Apple will block users in Australia, Brazil, and Singapore from downloading apps rated 18+ unless they confirm they are adults. Apple will handle this confirmation automatically, though developers might still need to verify users’ ages on their own.
For developers in Brazil, apps that include loot boxes will be marked with an 18+ rating. Additionally, developers will be notified when parental consent is required for users under the legal age.
In Utah and Louisiana, Apple will begin sharing age data with developers in May and July 2026, respectively. This will allow developers to better comply with local regulations and ensure proper parental consent for significant app updates for children.
These updates aim to protect minors from inappropriate content while also providing a streamlined process for developers to ensure they are meeting the new age-related regulations.
Shifting Liability to App Stores
This move to app-store-level age verification has sparked broader conversations around shifting responsibility for age verification from social media platforms themselves to app stores. Platforms like Snapchat and Meta have raised concerns about this shift. Snapchat, for example, has suggested that app store-level age verification could streamline the process, but it also points out the technical limitations of such systems.
Snapchat has previously argued that age estimation technology is not accurate enough to rely on, yet it supports app store-level verification. Meta’s Joel Kaplan also endorsed this approach, calling it an “elegant and effective solution” for managing consent and age verification across platforms. However, this raises a structural question: if users access platforms through web browsers on desktops or laptops, bypassing app stores entirely, how will regulators enforce age verification, and whom will they hold accountable?
The Bigger Question:
After Australia banned social media for children under 16, more countries, including Spain and India, are considering age-based social media restrictions. But now the focus is shifting from platform responsibility to app stores. When users bypass app stores and access platforms through browsers or desktops, it remains unclear who will take responsibility for ensuring age restrictions are followed. This raises a critical question: will app stores bear the responsibility for age…
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