Apple sets 18+ App Store rating for dating apps and AI companions
Apple will require developers to declare dating, romance and location-sharing features, giving dating apps and romanceable virtual companions a minimum age rating of 18.
Apple is tightening App Store age ratings for dating apps, romanceable virtual companions and location sharing. Apps that include dating, relationship or sexual behaviour features will receive a minimum age rating of 18, the company announced on Monday.
What developers must declare
The new content descriptors will require developers to state whether their apps let users share their real-world location with others. They must also say whether the apps include features that enable dating, relationship or sexual behaviour between real people or virtual companions.
Apps with dating and relationship features get the 18+ floor. For location sharing, the effect on the minimum age rating will vary by region, depending on local regulations.
Timeline
The updated questions will appear in the App Store Connect age rating questionnaire starting November 16th. All apps will be required to complete the new declarations by January 12th, 2027.
Why it matters
Apple already has an 18-plus category, but it has mostly covered apps with gambling, violence, references to drugs, alcohol or tobacco, and nudity or sexual content. Most dating platforms are already adult-only, so the change is largely meant to stop minors from slipping through the cracks.
The expanded rules also aim to keep young users away from AI chatbots that support sexual or romantic interactions, and from virtual “girlfriend/boyfriend” simulators that could pose mental health risks.
For developers, the practical task is to review their apps against the new descriptors before the January deadline. Companion-style chatbots and social apps with location features are the most likely to be affected, since their ratings may change once the declarations are filed.
Apps worth a look
SUMO: the number puzzleTap the right tiles, add them up, hit the target. Easy to learn, hard to master. Free, for all ages.
Dialo: learn languages by speakingTalk to an AI conversation partner; every sentence comes back corrected and explained in your language. 9 languages, A1 to C2.
ediviewer: read EDI files like documentsOpen EDIFACT and X12 messages, see every segment explained, convert to JSON/XML, export PDF and Excel. Runs locally, no upload.
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