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

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

Apple wants to make sure dating apps and AI companions with "sexual or romantic content" are only for people over 18, with new restrictions coming Nov. 16.

Though most dating platforms like Tinder, Hinge, Bumble are already strictly for users over 18, Apple's updated policy requires all apps that include dating and relationship features to have a minimum 18+ age rating in App Store Connect, Apple's command centre for developers managing iOS apps. Devs will also have to disclose whether their app enables real-time location sharing.

Mandatory age rating is a rather incremental update for dating apps, which as mentioned, are usually restricted to users over 18 by the developers themselves. However, as TechCrunch rightly points out, one of the more indeterminate impacts of Apple's policy could be that on minors' use of AI companions.

Artificial intelligence companions from the likes of Replika, Nomi, and the now bankrupt Character.AI, have been widely used by teens for years. As Mashable's Rebecca Ruiz reports, they're platforms specifically designed for emotional intimacy; a 2025 survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 found that 52 percent regularly use AI companions, and 33 percent use them for social interaction and relationships, including friendship, role-playing, emotional support, and romantic interactions.

S. AI, Nomi, and Replika for a major 2025 report .



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