Apple is launching global age verification tools for the App Store to comply with expanding child safety legislation. The update introduces a granular age rating system alongside a new Declared Age Range API. This API provides developers with a user's age category while protecting privacy by withholding exact birth dates.
New laws in multiple U.S. states and countries require app stores to verify ages and secure parental consent for downloads or in-app purchases. These regulations shift the legal responsibility for age gating from individual developers to platform holders. Apple and Google are both implementing these measures to meet the evolving compliance requirements.