Apples new 18+ app limits mean little for dating apps, a lot for AI companions

Apple is set to enforce stricter age restrictions on dating apps and AI companions with sexual or romantic content, coming into effect on November 16. Most dating platforms such as Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble already enforce a minimum 18+ age rating, but Apple's updated policy requires all apps with dating and relationship features to have an 18+ age rating in App Store Connect, Apple's command center for developer management of iOS apps. Developers must also disclose whether their app permits real-time location sharing.

While this is a minor update for dating apps, which are already restricted to users over 18 by developers, it could have significant implications for AI companions. These platforms, such as Replika, Nomi, and Character.AI, have been widely used by teens for emotional intimacy, and a 2025 survey found that 52 percent of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 regularly use AI companions.

However, experts have long warned that AI companions are not safe for teens under 18, as they are designed to create emotional attachment and dependency, which can be particularly concerning for developing adolescent brains.

Common Sense Media, a U.S. nonprofit providing technology analysis and guidance for parents, has tested AI companion platforms and found that safety measures are easily circumvented, including age gates and terms of service restrictions. The nonprofit has since published research criticizing AI companion platforms for relying on ineffective self-reporting for age assurance. Despite Apple's new policy, the global debate over age verification remains a major topic concerning Big Tech and teens today.