Google Play is expanding age confirmation tools for app developers
The Age Signals API will be available globally before the end of the year.
Google shared some details on how it will ask Android developers to handle age verification requirements. The platform it's adopting is called the Google Play Age Signals API. The tool is currently being tested in Brazil, and it will arrive in Australia and Canada in mid-August ahead of a global rollout later in the year.
The Age Signals tool allows parents to share their own or their child's age with devs as a range. This as a more private option than requiring age be shared as a specific number or birthdate while still helping devs meet a growing number of age verification requirements. If an adult shares their child's age range, all apps using the API will have access to the information and the program will automatically deliver an age-appropriate experience. The parent controls will be available in the Google Family Link app.
"Rather than enforcing one-size-fits-all rules, we give developers the flexibility to choose how they integrate safety signals. With this reliable signal, you retain complete agency to tailor your app's content, features, and settings to match your audience," Google's blog post states. Age verification has become a hot topic over the past year, with several countries and US states passing wide-reaching laws putting more responsibility on platform owners and app developers to make checks.