Apple has announced a series of new child safety features set to roll out this year, including improved parental controls, an updated App Store age rating system, and an easier way for parents to set up Child Accounts.
The updates were detailed in a new whitepaper released by the company.
One key feature allows parents to share their child’s age range with app developers, a move aimed at enhancing safety without requiring full age verification. Apple emphasizes that this system protects privacy, as it does not share actual birthdates, and parents have control over whether the information is shared. Developers can request age ranges via a new API designed to minimize data collection.
The App Store’s rating system is also getting an overhaul, expanding from four to five age categories: 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, and 18+. Developers will now be required to disclose whether their apps contain user-generated content or ads that might expose users to age-inappropriate material. Apple says it will ensure that children won’t see apps rated above the parental settings applied to their accounts.
Apple’s stance on age verification differs from companies like Meta, Snap, and X, which have called for OS-level or app store-level verification. The company has reportedly lobbied against legislation that would require stricter age enforcement, arguing that such measures would compromise user privacy by requiring sensitive personal data.
Meta spokesperson Jamie Radice called Apple’s announcement a “positive first step” but criticized the lack of stricter controls. “Parents tell us they want to have the final say over the apps their teens use,” Radice told The Verge, advocating for legislation that would require app stores to verify a child’s age and obtain parental approval before downloads.
Additionally, Apple is making it easier to set up Child Accounts and fix incorrect age information in existing accounts. The company has not provided an exact release date but confirmed these features will launch sometime this year.
