Apple · Apple App Store Review Guidelines

Kids Category and Child Safety Restrictions

High severity
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What it is

Apps designed for children must not collect personal data or show behavioral ads, and cannot share any information about children with outside companies.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Parents can trust that apps in the Apple Kids Category are prohibited from collecting their child's personal data or showing targeted advertisements, providing a baseline layer of privacy protection for minors.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Kids Category and Child Safety Restrictions and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

These protections are critical because children are a uniquely vulnerable population; violations could expose their personal data to commercial exploitation.

View original clause language
Apps in the Kids Category must not include behavioral advertising, and any advertising in these apps must be appropriate for children. Apps in the Kids Category may not send personally identifiable information or device information to third parties. The Kids Category must not include third-party analytics or third-party advertising.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision directly implements COPPA (15 U.S.C. §6501-6506) requirements for operators of websites/services directed to children under 13, enforced by the FTC (16 C.F.R. Part 312). It also engages GDPR Art. 8 (conditions for child consent) and UK GDPR / Children's Code (Age Appropriate Design Code, ICO), requiring privacy-by-default for child users. California's AADC (AB 2273, Cal. Civ. Code §1798.99.28 et seq.) imposes similar requirements on connected services likely to be accessed by minors. (2)

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    COPPA enforcement against apps collecting data from children under 13 is the FTC's primary jurisdiction, with penalties up to $51,744 per violation per day.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    California AG enforces AADC (AB 2273) and COPPA violations affecting California minors; multiple state AGs have concurrent COPPA enforcement authority.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Apple App Store Review Guidelines
Entity
Apple
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 28, 2026
Last verified
April 28, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-003884
Document ID
CA-D-00025
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
307db15d06f03003277f88a1476a1308e92cc7cba75906b4fac341d1054f5040
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Apple | Document: Apple App Store Review Guidelines | Record: CA-P-003884
Captured: 2026-04-28 08:36:55 UTC | SHA-256: 307db15d06f03003…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/apple/apple-app-store-review-guidelines/kids-category-and-child-safety-restrictions/
Accessed: April 29, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
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