Now that Apple has began blocking customers underneath 18 in sure areas from downloading apps, the corporate has launched new age verification instruments. These will assist builders “meet their age assurance obligations underneath upcoming US and regional legal guidelines, together with in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Utah and Louisiana,” the corporate stated in a information launch on its Developer website.
As of February 24, 2026, customers in Australia, Brazil and Singapore will not be capable of obtain apps rated 18+ except their age is confirmed by “cheap strategies.” Apple famous that any apps distributed in Brazil which might be declared to comprise loot packing containers can be up to date to 18+. Whereas the App Retailer can carry out these checks mechanically, “builders might have separate obligations to independently affirm that their customers are adults,” Apple wrote. For that, builders can make use of the corporate’s Declared Age Vary API (on iOS, iPadOS and macOS) to get “useful indicators” a few person’s age.
In Utah as of Might 6, 2026 and Louisiana on July 1, 2026, “age classes can be shared with the developer’s app when requested by the Declared Age Vary API.” That API can even present “new indicators,” like whether or not age-related regulatory necessities apply to the person and if the person should share their age vary. “The API can even let you already know if you’ll want to get a father or mother or guardian’s permission for important app updates for a kid,” Apple says.
Underneath Utah’s new regulation, customers should be over 18 to make a brand new account with an app retailer, whereas underage makes use of might want to hyperlink their account to a father or mother’s to be able to get permission to make use of sure apps. Louisiana and Texas additionally handed related legal guidelines and California plans to enact age-based guidelines for app shops in 2027.
These guidelines are designed to guard kids from predators, monetary hurt and different issues. Nonetheless, critics have described the legal guidelines as blunt instruments that hurt privateness and web anonymity. “A poorly designed system would possibly retailer this private information, and even correlate it to the web content material that we take a look at,” the Digital Frontier Basis notes. “Within the arms of an adversary, and cross-referenced to different available info, this info can expose intimate particulars about us.”
