Posted by Mindy Brooks – Senior Director, Android Platform
App builders play an important function in shaping how folks of all ages work together with expertise. Whether or not your app content material is particularly designed for youths or just attracts their consideration, there’s an added duty to make sure a secure and trusted expertise. Google is right here to help you in that work. At the moment, we’re sharing some vital reminders and updates on how we empower builders to construct high-quality, partaking, and age-appropriate apps throughout the Android ecosystem.
Assist Decide Android Person Age with Digital IDs
Understanding a consumer’s age vary may be vital for offering minors with safer and extra acceptable app experiences, in addition to complying with native age-related rules. Android’s new Credential Supervisor API, now in Beta for Digital IDs, addresses this problem by serving to builders confirm a consumer’s age with a digital ID saved to any digital pockets utility. Importantly, Android’s Credential Supervisor was constructed with each security and privateness at its core – it minimizes knowledge publicity by solely sharing info vital with builders and asks the consumer for specific permission to share an age sign. We encourage you to check out the Beta API for your self and look ahead to listening to your suggestions.
Whereas digital IDs are nonetheless of their early days, we’re persevering with to work with governments on additional adoption to strengthen this resolution. Android can be exploring how the API can help a variety of age assurance strategies, serving to builders to securely verify the age of their customers, particularly for customers that may’t or do not need to use a digital ID. Please remember that ID-based options are only one instrument that builders can use to find out age and the most effective strategy will rely in your app.
Defend Younger Customers from Inappropriate Content material on Google Play
As a part of our continued dedication to making a secure and constructive setting for kids throughout the Play Retailer, we lately launched the Limit Declared Minors (RDM) setting inside the Google Play Console that enables builders to designate their app as inappropriate for minors. When enabled, Google Play customers with declared ages beneath 18 will be unable to obtain or buy the app nor will they have the ability to proceed subscriptions or make new purchases if the app is already put in.
Past Play’s broader youngsters security insurance policies, this new setting provides builders an extra instrument to proactively forestall minors from accessing content material that could be unsuitable for them. It additionally empowers builders to take a extra proactive function in guaranteeing their apps attain the suitable viewers. As a reminder, this characteristic is just one instrument of many to maintain your apps secure and we’re persevering with to enhance it primarily based on early suggestions. Builders stay solely accountable for compliance with related legal guidelines and rules. You may be taught extra about opting in to RDM right here.
Develop Trainer Accredited Apps and Video games on Google Play
Nice content material for youths can take many types, whether or not that’s sparking curiosity, serving to youngsters be taught, or simply plain enjoyable. Google Play’s Trainer Accredited program highlights high-quality apps which might be reviewed and rated by academics and youngster growth specialists. Our group of academics and consultants the world over evaluate and fee apps on components like age-appropriateness, high quality of expertise, enrichment, and delight. For added transparency, we embrace info within the app itemizing about why the app was rated extremely to assist mother and father decide if the app is correct for his or her youngster. Apps in this system additionally should meet strict privateness and safety necessities.
Constructing a teacher-approved app not solely helps increase app high quality for youths – it will probably additionally enhance your attain and engagement. All apps on this program are eligible to seem and be featured on Google Play’s Youngsters tab the place households go to simply uncover high quality apps and video games. Please go to Google Play Academy for extra details about the right way to design high-quality apps for youths.
Keep Up to date With Google Play’s Households Insurance policies
Google Play insurance policies present extra protections for kids and households. Our Households insurance policies require that apps and video games focused to kids have acceptable content material, present adverts appropriate for kids, and meet different necessities together with ones associated to personally identifiable info. We often replace and strengthen these insurance policies to make sure that Google Play stays a spot the place households can discover secure and high-quality content material for his or her kids. This consists of our new Youngster Security Requirements Coverage for social and courting apps that goes into impact in January.
Builders can showcase compliance with Play’s Households insurance policies with a particular badge on the Google Play Knowledge security part. That is one other good way that you may higher assist households discover apps that meet their wants, whereas supporting Play’s dedication to supply customers extra transparency and management over their knowledge. To show the badge, please go to the “Safety practices” part of your Knowledge Security type in your Google Play Developer Console.
Extra Assets
Defending youngsters on-line is a duty all of us share and we hope these reminders are useful as you put together for 2025. We’re grateful on your partnership in making Android and Google Play implausible platforms for pleasant, high-quality content material for youths and households. For extra sources:
- Watch our interactive Play Academy programs on complying with Play’s Households insurance policies, together with SDK necessities, choosing your goal age and content material settings, and extra.
