Apple is cracking down on dating services and AI companion apps, forcing any that offer romantic or sexual interactions to carry an 18+ age rating on its App Store. The tech giant set out the changes to developers on 3 November, in a move aimed at making it harder for children and teenagers to access them on iPhones and iPads.
What the new Apple rules mean
Under the updated policy, every app that includes dating or romantic relationship features will be given an adult-only rating, TechCrunch reports.
From 16 November, developers will have to fill in new content descriptors in App Store Connect, the system they use to submit apps to Apple. These require them to say whether their app has dating or relationship features, and whether it lets users connect with real people or with virtual companions that engage in what Apple describes as “sexual or romantic content”.
Developers will need to make the declarations when they next update their app or change its age rating questionnaire. According to Android Headlines, every app must have completed them by 12 January 2027.
AI companion apps in the firing line
AI companion apps, chatbots designed to act as a friend, partner or confidant, are a particular focus of the new rules.
TechCrunch notes that the rule could catch apps where a companion feature is just one of many functions, rather than only dedicated companion services. Android Headlines said it was not yet clear how popular apps such as Character.AI and Replika, which often attract younger users, will be affected.
Apple has framed the changes as part of its wider efforts to protect children on its platform. The rules are designed so that an app’s age rating properly reflects what it actually does.
Location sharing must be declared
The update also tackles privacy. Apps will now have to disclose whether they share a user’s real-world location with another person or group, information many people may not realise they are handing over.
In Brazil, family location-sharing apps will be able to ask the country’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security for an official rating, rather than automatically being given the A16 rating required under local law.
Another layer of protection
Apple had already rolled out age assurance technology globally and updated its parental controls, TechCrunch notes. The new descriptors add another layer, putting the onus on developers to be upfront about what their apps offer before they reach young users.
For parents, the practical upshot is that AI companion apps and dating services offering romantic or sexual content will be labelled as adults-only in the App Store once developers have completed the new declarations.
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Sources: TechCrunch, Android Headlines
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