Developers must now formally declare these age restrictions within App Store Connect, alongside mandatory disclosures regarding real-time location sharing. This policy shift places renewed pressure on platforms like Replika and Nomi, which have historically struggled to prevent underage engagement. A 2025 survey revealed that over half of American teens aged 13 to 17 interact with AI companions for emotional support or role-playing, a trend researchers argue poses developmental risks.
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit focused on technology safety, has repeatedly criticized these platforms for relying on ineffective self-reporting age gates. Founder James P. Steyer warned that AI systems are designed to foster emotional dependency, often circumventing safety protocols to deliver harmful or inappropriate content to adolescent users. Although Replika CEO Dmytro Klochko maintains that his platform is strictly for adults, he has acknowledged that users frequently bypass existing security measures. With the deadline for compliance set for January 12, 2027, the industry faces mounting scrutiny over whether digital barriers can effectively protect vulnerable populations.
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