Safer Screens for Kids: Google Brings Play Store Age-Assurance Tech to Developers Worldwide

With the increasing concern about internet safety, Google has decided to boost its digital security measures by releasing the Play Age Signals API for developers of Android applications worldwide by the end of the year. After being tested in Brazil, the new update will launch in August in Australia and Canada, followed by the launch in other international markets, including the United States.

The technology has been invented to address the current problem of protecting young people from any possible harm without breaching their privacy. Unlike previous versions that required users to provide governmental ID documents or photos, the new API works based on users’ privacy. 

Using the Family Link dashboard, parents will have an option to voluntarily choose an age range for their child, such as 13-15 or 16-17 years old. Adult users will be able to provide information regarding the age range they fall into. Software makers will be able to offer different types of experience depending on the app used and at the same time guaranteeing users’ privacy. 

Social chat in a game for young teenagers may be blocked, whereas a weather application will remain the same. Family Link will centralize those controls to avoid the cumbersome task of manually configuring age controls per application, thereby keeping the real date of birth completely shielded from developers.

Google’s global release comes in response to the recent launch by Apple of similar age-verification solutions. Both companies are now under more pressure than ever before from both international legislators and state laws in the United States to protect children from offensive content, exploitation, and addictive apps.

Protecting children online will always require constant cooperation among all involved parties, platforms, parents, and developers. By giving families full control over the exchange of information and developers simple tools to use, Google will help create a safer mobile world for children everywhere.