Google Play expands age confirmation tools for app developers
Google Play is rolling out the Age Signals API globally by year-end, allowing parents to share age as a range for privacy while helping developers comply with age verification laws.
Google has announced details of its new Age Signals API, designed to help Android developers handle age verification requirements. Currently being tested in Brazil, the tool will launch in Australia and Canada in mid-August before a global rollout later this year.
The Age Signals API allows parents to share their own or their child's age as a range rather than a specific number or birth date. This provides a more private option while still enabling developers to meet growing age verification regulations. If a parent shares a child's age range, all apps using the API will automatically receive the information and deliver an age-appropriate experience.
Parental controls will be available through the Google Family Link app. According to Google's blog post, developers have flexibility in how they integrate these signals, allowing them to tailor content, features, and settings to their audience. This move comes amid increasing age verification laws in several countries and U.S. states, placing more responsibility on platform owners and app developers to conduct checks.
