Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Apple Starts Blocking 18+ App Downloads in Australia, Brazil and Singapore as New Age Checks Take Effect

Apple is supplying developers with a privacy‑preserving age‑range API to meet child‑safety laws.

Overview

  • As of February 24, the App Store automatically confirms adulthood using “reasonable methods” before allowing 18+ downloads in those three markets.
  • Apple released a beta of the Declared Age Range API that shares coarse age categories, plus signals on when rules apply and when parental consent is required for significant updates.
  • For new Apple Accounts in the U.S., Utah integrations begin May 6, 2026, and Louisiana follows July 1, with age categories shared to apps on request.
  • In Brazil, titles flagged for loot boxes are reclassified 18+, and developers may access a user’s age category only with the user’s or a guardian’s consent.
  • Developers face penalties for violations—up to $1,000 per instance in Utah and up to $10,000 in Louisiana—with potential platform‑level fines in Australia, Brazil and Singapore, while civil‑society groups caution that store‑level checks concentrate gatekeeping and carry privacy risks.