Apple is significantly expanding its measures in the field of child protection. Since February 24 of this year, it has been blocking the download of applications marked as 18+ in Australia, Brazil and Singapore unless the user passes age verification directly in App StoreWithout confirmation of age, you simply cannot access these applications.
Age verification directly via App Store
Verification is done automatically via App Store using so-called “reasonable methods.” However, developers may also be required to use the Declared Age Range API to confirm the age of users on their side as well. Apple This is in response to new laws that require a clear distinction between adult and minor users.
In Brazil, the change has another major impact. Apps containing loot boxes are now automatically re-rated to 18+, as local legislation prohibits making them available to children. Developers can also see a user's age group if the user or parent chooses to share it.
Strict rules even in the USA
The changes also apply to the US states of Utah and Louisiana, where developers will be required to use APIs to verify users' ages and, in some cases, obtain parental consent not only when installing an app but also for major updates that introduce new features.
Utah launches its rules on May 6, 2026, Louisiana on July 1, 2026. The penalties are not small – in Utah, parents can seek up to $1,000 for a violation, in Louisiana, fines of up to $10,000 for each offense.
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Apple has long warned of the risks associated with blanket identity verification, such as using documents. It does not want to collect sensitive data or share it with developers. Yet it is under pressure from regulators who are demanding that platforms protect children more strictly. The current steps show that the trade-off between privacy protection and legal obligations will be for Apple increasingly complicated. We'll see when these changes reach the EU and the Czech Republic. But I think they make sense and it definitely shouldn't be easy to download an adult app on a child's phone.
