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Concerns Over Inappropriate Apps for Children on Apple’s App Store

A recent report released by child safety advocacy organizations, Heat Initiative and ParentsTogether Action, has raised serious alarms regarding the availability of inappropriate apps that are misleadingly rated as suitable for very young users on Apple’s App Store. Collaborating with a researcher, the groups undertook a review of as many apps as they could within a 24-hour period, ultimately discovering more than 200 applications featuring “concerning content or features,” which contrasted sharply with their age recommendations.

The analysis targeted apps classified with age ratings of 4+, 9+, and 12+, focusing particularly on categories deemed “risky.” These categories included chat applications (notably those involving AI interactions and connections with strangers), beauty and dieting apps, as well as games that could include unfiltered internet access. Among the documented findings, the report discovered that at least 24 games containing sexual content and 9 stranger chat applications were labeled as suitable for the youngest age groups. Additionally, it highlighted 40 apps that allowed unfiltered internet access, along with 75 related to beauty and body image, and 28 games simulating crime or violence. According to the Heat Initiative, the roughly 200 flagged apps have collectively amassed over 550 million downloads.

In total, around 800 applications underwent review, and the study pinpointed that specific categories exhibited a higher likelihood of containing apps with misleadingly low age ratings. For example, while fewer stranger chat and gaming apps were found to be approved for children’s use, with most rated at 17+, a troubling trend emerged within beauty and unfiltered internet access apps, where nearly all reviewed were deemed suitable for children aged 4 and older.

The report advocates for Apple to enhance its child safety protocols on the App Store, recommending that the tech giant engage third-party reviewers to validate age ratings before apps can be downloaded. It also urges Apple to adopt a transparent process for determining age ratings, so consumers can make informed choices regarding app safety. For more detailed insights, the full report, Rotten Ratings: 24 Hours in Apple’s App Store, is available for review.

Source
www.engadget.com