A new law in Australia is slated to go into effect on December 10, whereby under-16s would no longer be eligible to hold social media accounts. Apple, in compliance with this new law, has now published an extensive toolkit to help developers restrict underage access.
Apple's extensive toolkit for restricting underage access to social media apps in Australia
Apple has just issued a public notification to app developers, informing them of the various tools that are now at their disposal to ensure compliance with Australia's new law governing underage access to social media accounts.
These tools include:
- Declared Age Range API, which unlocks a range of app behaviors and "age-appropriate experiences," based on a given age input.
- App description on the App Store, whereby developers can inform users of age-related restrictions.
- Higher minimum age rating, which is a tool that allows app developers "to set a higher age rating than the one generated by their responses to the age ratings questionnaire in App Store Connect."
- Age Suitability URL, which provides additional information on the app and its age-related restrictions.
Do note that the Australian law entails significant fines for app developers who refuse to comply with restrictions on underage access to social media platforms.
Even so, some crafty teenagers are already finding workarounds. For instance, one enterprising 13-year-old used her mother's photograph to bypass Snapchat's manifestly crude age verification mechanism. Another anecdote claims to use Beyoncé's face!
App developers are, understandably, not too keen on implementing Australia's new law, as evidenced by their half-hearted age verification mechanisms. Apple's latest notification might prove to be an impetus for such developers to offer a more robust authentication mechanism.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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