Apple has begun blocking certain app downloads in three countries. Users in Brazil, Australia, and Singapore now face automatic age verification when trying to download apps rated 18+ from the App Store. This move is part of a broader effort to comply with child safety laws worldwide.
The process is automatic, with the App Store checking a user's age in the background using account details before allowing the download of mature content. Developers, however, still have their own compliance duties to meet under local laws.
In Brazil, the rules are stricter, with apps containing loot boxes now carrying an automatic 18+ rating. Apple is also expanding these tools in the US, with users in Utah and Louisiana soon affected.
The company is beta testing an updated Declared Age Range API, which provides developers with a user's age bracket without revealing the exact birth date. This expansion is part of a wider trend, as platforms like ChatGPT and Discord also implement various age verification methods in response to new regulations.