Apple Will Require Developers to Declare Location Sharing and Dating Features for Age Ratings
Apps with dating or relationship features will carry a minimum 18+ rating, even when the partner is an AI companion.
Apple will soon require app developers to declare in App Store Connect whether their software offers real-world location sharing or dating and relationship features, with the new questions taking effect November 16. The purpose is to let Apple assign age ratings accurately. Any app that enables dating or relationship connections must carry a minimum 18+ rating, and that applies even when the partner is an AI companion engaging in sexual or romantic content. Location-sharing apps may keep their current minimum rating in some regions, while Brazil sets stricter floors of A16 for location sharing and A18 for dating. Developers have until January 12, 2027 to submit both disclosures, and apps that could qualify for a lower rating, such as parent-child location tools, can petition Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
Why it matters
The new disclosures give Apple a basis for assigning age ratings and make the rules for dating and location apps more explicit. Users of dating apps will face an 18+ floor, including AI companions that engage in sexual or romantic content. In Brazil, location-sharing apps need at least an A16 rating and dating apps at least A18, while apps that might qualify for a lower rating can petition the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Developers must submit both disclosures by January 12, 2027, after questions take effect on November 16.
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