Apple Adds Social Media Questions to App Store Age Rating Questionnaire
Apple is updating its App Store Connect age rating questionnaire with new questions about social media features. These changes will be mandatory for developers starting September 2026.
Apple announced that its App Store Connect age rating questionnaire will include new questions regarding social media features. This update is in preparation for the launch of new parental control functions within iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27.
The "social media features" are defined as an app's ability to discover new content through "social feeds" or similar mechanisms, or to re-share, distribute, or interact with user-generated content (UGC). This clarification aims to improve app categorization.
The new parental controls in iOS 27 include "time limits" that allow parents to manage children's app usage based on categories like entertainment, games, and social media. If an app has social media functionality but is restricted for users under 13 by default, it will not be placed in the "social media" time limit category.
Conversely, any app with social media features not utilizing the new parental controls will be categorized under "social media" for time limits, with a minimum age rating of 13+. Developers must answer these updated questions when submitting new apps, updates, or notarizations from September 2026.