Apple App Store · Apple Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Children's Privacy and Age Restrictions

Medium severity High confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Uncommon · 9 of 343 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Apple does not intentionally collect personal data from children under 13 without parental consent, and states it will delete such data if collected inadvertently, while offering parental control tools through Screen Time and Family Sharing.

This analysis describes what Apple App Store's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

Children's online privacy is subject to strict legal requirements in the US and internationally, and the App Store's role as a distribution platform for children's apps means Apple's age verification and parental consent mechanisms are particularly significant for families.

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
3
Months Monitored
Apr 9, 2026
First Seen
May 22, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 3350 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Parents should use Apple's Family Sharing and Screen Time features to manage their children's Apple ID accounts and app access. If you believe a child under 13 has created an Apple account without parental consent, you can contact Apple to request data deletion.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Delete Your Data
    If you believe a child under 13 has an Apple account without parental consent, sign in or contact Apple Support through privacy.apple.com to request review and deletion of the account data.

How other platforms handle this

Yelp Medium

The Service is intended for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under the age of 13 has provided us with personal information without your cons...

Revolut Medium

If you do not have a social security number you may still be eligible to open a limited Revolut personal account. Depending on your immigration status, we may ask you to provide us with a copy of your supported U.S. visa and may limit your access to certain products and features.

Shein Medium

enableGpcSdk: true, gpcSetting: { privacyPolicyLink: '/Privacy-Security-Policy-a-282.html' }

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13, or under the applicable age of digital consent in their country of residence, without verifiable parental consent. If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will delete that information. Apple provides parental controls through Screen Time and Family Sharing.

— Excerpt from Apple App Store's Apple Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA in the US requires verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13 and imposes strict notice, consent, and deletion obligations on operators. The UK Age Appropriate Design Code imposes additional protections for users under 18. GDPR and national implementations set varying ages of digital consent across EU member states ranging from 13 to 16. Apple's role as an App Store operator creates platform-level COPPA obligations regarding apps directed at children. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High for organizations publishing children's apps through the App Store. Apple's policy addresses its own COPPA compliance, but app developers who distribute children's apps via Apple are independently responsible for their own COPPA and GDPR Article 8 compliance. The FTC actively enforces COPPA against app platforms and developers. JURISDICTION FLAGS: US COPPA applies to children under 13. GDPR Article 8 applies in the EU with member-state variation on the age of digital consent. The UK Age Appropriate Design Code applies broadly to services likely to be accessed by users under 18. California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act adds further obligations for California-accessible services. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Developers publishing children's directed apps on the App Store must comply with Apple's Kids App guidelines as well as independent COPPA and GDPR obligations. Procurement teams evaluating Apple educational products should assess whether Apple's Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act documentation is available for school deployments. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Organizations operating educational or family-directed services should assess whether Apple's age verification mechanisms are sufficient for their regulatory obligations under COPPA, GDPR Article 8, and the UK Age Appropriate Design Code. FTC COPPA safe harbor program participation may be relevant for app developers.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces COPPA and has primary federal jurisdiction over children's online privacy practices in the United States.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Colorado AI Act
US-CO
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US
VPPA
United States Federal

Provision details

Document information
Document
Apple Privacy Policy
Entity
Apple App Store
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 27, 2026
Last verified
May 9, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002418
Document ID
CA-D-00024
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
994b983f6900cdaa9bdc93e6bbe73247775f83fe14db2d46bfab3b416f57d9b0
Analysis generated
April 27, 2026 10:36 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Apple App Store
Document: Apple Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-002418
Captured: 2026-04-27 10:36:19 UTC
SHA-256: 994b983f6900cdaa…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/apple-app-store/apple-privacy-policy/childrens-privacy-and-age-restrictions/
Accessed: June 27, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Apple App Store's Children's Privacy and Age Restrictions clause do?

Children's online privacy is subject to strict legal requirements in the US and internationally, and the App Store's role as a distribution platform for children's apps means Apple's age verification and parental consent mechanisms are particularly significant for families.

How does this clause affect you?

Parents should use Apple's Family Sharing and Screen Time features to manage their children's Apple ID accounts and app access. If you believe a child under 13 has created an Apple account without parental consent, you can contact Apple to request data deletion.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 9 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Apple App Store?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Apple App Store.