23 Daily — According to techcrunch.com, on November 3, 2026, Apple announced adjustments to its App Store policies to better protect minors. The tech giant will require all dating apps and AI companion apps that provide sexual or romantic content to be rated for users 18 and older. This policy will be effective starting November 16, and developers must include new content descriptors to ensure appropriate age ratings before their apps are published.
Mandatory 18+ Ratings for Dating and AI Companion Apps with Sexual or Romantic Content
Apple's new policy mandates that all apps offering dating or romantic relationship features, whether as their primary or one of multiple functions, must carry an 18+ rating. This extends the previous adult-use restrictions typical of major dating services to include emerging AI companion applications. Examples include Character.AI and Replika, which enable users to create AI companions ranging from friends to romantic partners. Some AI apps launched 3D animated companions with unlockable adult content last year. As of summer 2025, AI companion apps had been downloaded 220 million times globally across Apple App Store and Google Play.
Enhanced Privacy Measures for Location Sharing Features
In addition to age ratings, Apple requires apps that share users’ real-world locations with others or groups to explicitly disclose this functionality. This addresses privacy concerns, particularly when users may be unaware of their location being shared. Apple noted that in Brazil, apps offering family location-sharing features may obtain official rating approval from the government’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security, replacing the mandatory A16 rating that local law otherwise requires.
Editor's take: Challenges and Opportunities for Founders under New Rules
Apple's updated rules highlight the company’s ongoing commitment to protecting minors, imposing stricter content and age rating requirements on dating and AI companion apps. Founders developing such services must carefully assess their content and ensure transparency to comply with 18+ restrictions, which may limit access for underage users and raise the market entry bar. The enhanced location privacy requirements also demand that developers design clearer user consent mechanisms and disclosures. To verify the impact of these policies, observing app approval outcomes and user feedback can reveal whether the measures effectively safeguard minors and respect privacy.