The Age Signals API will be available globally before the end of the year.
Google has shared some details about how it will ask Android developers to handle age verification requirements. The platform it adopts is called the Google Play Age Signals API. The tool is currently being tested in Brazil and will arrive in Australia and Canada in mid-August before a global rollout later in the year.
The Age Signals tool allows parents to share their own or their child’s age with developers as a range. This is a more private option than requiring age to be shared as a specific number or date of birth, while also helping developers 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 provide an age-appropriate experience. Parental controls will be available in the Google Family Link app.
“Rather than applying one-size-fits-all rules, we give developers the flexibility to choose how they integrate security signals. With this trusted signal, you maintain complete freedom to tailor your app’s content, features, and settings to your audience,” Google’s blog says. Age verification has become a hot topic over the past year, with several countries and US states passing sweeping laws that place more responsibility on platform owners and app developers for verification.
