Apple has announced that, starting November 16, 2026, apps featuring dating, romantic, or virtual companion functionalities will be required to enforce a minimum age restriction of 18+, applying uniformly to apps containing romantic or sexual content involving real or AI-generated companions. Apps with real-time location-sharing features will have their ratings adjusted according to regional regulations—for example, Brazil requires ratings of A16 or A18. All existing and newly submitted apps must comply with these updates by January 12, 2027, to address child protection challenges posed by generative AI.Author and source: AIBase
Apple today announced a new age rating policy for the App Store, requiring apps featuring dating, romantic, or virtual companion functionalities to set a minimum age restriction of 18+, signaling the tech giant’s further tightening of compliance oversight over AI-powered emotional companionship and social applications.
According to Apple's official developer update, the new age rating requirements will take effect on November 16, 2026. At that time, developers will be required to explicitly declare whether their app includes "shared location" or "dating and relationships" features when completing the age rating questionnaire in App Store Connect.
Applications that allow romantic relationships to be established between real users or virtual AI companions, or that involve romantic or sexual content, will be uniformly assigned a minimum age rating of 18+. Applications featuring real-time location sharing will have ratings that vary according to regional regulations—for example, local regulations in Brazil require such apps to achieve an A16 rating and dating apps to achieve an A18 rating. All existing and newly submitted App Store applications must complete the required declarations and updates by January 12, 2027.
With the growing adoption of generative AI technology, the explosive rise of AI companion apps has created unprecedented challenges in protecting minors. Apple’s introduction of a strict age threshold for virtual emotional interactions through its platform review process not only strengthens content governance standards on the App Store but also reflects a broader tightening of digital safety regulations for minors across the tech industry under compliance frameworks.