Apple is set to introduce a raft of child safety measures. These updates come amid increasing concerns about online safety for minors, with many children now regularly using social media platforms from an early age.
The company has announced in a whitepaper that it will let parents share their kids’ age ranges with apps and refresh the App Store’s age ratings system – making it more straightforward for parents to set up Child Accounts for their offspring – in features to be introduced “this year”. According to digital safety experts, these changes could significantly improve how families navigate online environments.
Firms such as Meta, Snap and X have all called for platforms to take responsibility for verifying the ages of users at OS or app store level, although Apple have been reluctant to do so. This reluctance stems from Apple’s longstanding commitment to user privacy, which has been a cornerstone of the company’s product philosophy for years.
“That’s not in the interest of user safety or privacy,” the tech behemoth argues in the whitepaper that age verification “at the app marketplace level” isn’t ideal as it would mean that users have to hand over “sensitive personally identifying information”. Privacy advocates have noted that centralized age verification systems could potentially create security vulnerabilities if compromised.
The firm says the age range feature means parents “can allow their kids to share the age range associated with their Child Accounts with app developers”. This approach represents a balance between safety and privacy concerns, allowing for age-appropriate experiences without excessive data collection.
The information will be revealed to developers “if and only if parents decide to allow this information to be shared” whilst parents will have the option to disable sharing. This opt-in model aligns with global privacy best practices and gives families greater control over their children’s digital footprints.
The feature will not “provide kids’ actual birthdates”. Instead, it will use age ranges, providing sufficient information for developers to implement age-appropriate features without compromising precise personal details.
“Today’s announcement is a positive first step, however, developers can only apply these age-appropriate protections with a teen’s approval,” Meta spokesperson Jamie Radice told The Verge, commenting on the announcement. “Parents tell us they want to have the final say over the apps their teens use, and that’s why we support legislation that requires app stores to verify a child’s age and get a parent’s approval before their child downloads an app.” Meta has been actively advocating for stronger parental controls across digital platforms in recent years.
These updates are part of Apple‘s broader commitment to improving digital safety for younger users, which has included features like Screen Time, Communication Safety, and Family Sharing. The company has invested considerable resources in research and development of child safety features over the past several years.
Child safety experts have welcomed Apple’s approach, noting that it appropriately balances privacy concerns with protective measures. Digital parenting specialists suggest that giving parents more granular control while respecting children’s privacy represents significant progress in digital safety frameworks.
The refreshed App Store age ratings system will include more detailed content descriptors and clearer guidelines for developers, making it easier for parents to make informed decisions about app suitability. Industry analysts expect this to raise standards across the app ecosystem, potentially influencing other platforms to adopt similar measures.
Apple‘s announcement comes amid increasing regulatory pressure worldwide regarding children’s online safety. Various laws and regulations in different countries have placed new requirements on technology companies to better protect minors online.
The company has emphasized that these features were developed with extensive input from child safety organizations, privacy advocates, and developmental psychologists to ensure they meet the complex needs of families in the digital age. This collaborative approach has been praised by digital rights organizations as a model for responsible technology development.
While some critics argue that Apple could go further by implementing mandatory age verification, others point out that the company’s privacy-focused approach may ultimately be more sustainable and less invasive. Many parents express preference for having control over their children’s information rather than relying on automatic verification systems.
Industry observers note that Apple’s approach could set new standards for how technology companies address child safety concerns while respecting user privacy, potentially influencing future regulatory frameworks worldwide. The balance between protection and privacy remains a challenge that tech companies continue to navigate as digital environments evolve.
