Apple, through its developer section, has published a number of modifications to the rules that follow when reviewing applications that are uploaded to the App Store.
The purpose is none other than to protect children under 13 years.
The new rules, as we can read, modify the policy of action that until now had been carrying out. Measures will now be implemented to make minors safer due to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
This law will try to avoid collecting information such as the name, phone number, address, as well as the restriction to access and/or data collection of photos, videos or audios unless they have parental authorization.
“17.3 Apps may ask for date of birth (or use other age-gating mechanisms) only for the purpose of complying with applicable children’s privacy statutes but must include some useful functionality or entertainment value regardless of the user’s age.”
“17.4 Apps that collect, transmit, or have the ability to share personal information (eg name, address, email, location, photos, videos, drawings, persistent identifiers, the ability to chat, or other personal data) from a minor must comply with Applicable children’s privacy statutes.”
The other measure affects gambling, so if they offer or are based on games with real money must be free of compulsory and can not make use of the option of purchases from the application itself (in-app purchase)
“20.5 Apps that offer real money gaming (eg sports betting, poker, casino games, horse racing) must have licensing and permissions in the locations where the App is used must be restricted to those locations and must be free on the App Store”
“20.6 Apps that use IAP to purchase credit or currency to use in conjunction with real money gaming will be rejected.”
Of course, all these measures will then depend on the use of the devices by the parents and the children themselves. But it is true that with responsible use are useful and well-received modifications.
Anyway, I still think that as long as they are small, there is nothing better than proper supervision by the parents. Something you can do by following some safety tips and knowing the options that iOS offer with their kinship controls.
