Later this year, Apple plans to introduce a declared age range API (application programming interface) on iOS for its iPhone and iPad devices, which developers will be able to use to request information on the age range of a child user, with parental consent.
Social media platforms may soon be able to tell if children under 16 are attempting to use their iPhone apps, as Apple brings in new technology that could play a role in enforcing Australia’s social media ban.
Under the Australian government’s under-16s social media ban passed in December last year, platforms included in the ban – such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, at least initially – would be required to take reasonable steps to assure the ages of their users.
Through this process, Apple would then indicate to an app whether a user was under 18, under 16, or under 13, and then decide what content within that app to allow the user to see, or whether to block access to the app entirely.
Prior to the legislation passing, Meta and TikTok pushed the government to make Apple and Google as the device makers bear responsibility for age assurance, but the federal government decided the onus should rest on the app makers.
