A report warns of the massive presence of inappropriate applications, classified as safe for young children, in the App Store.
Tl;dr
- 200 inappropriate apps for children found on the Apple App Store.
- These apps have been downloaded more than 550 million times.
- The report calls on Apple to strengthen child safety measures.
Inappropriate apps for children are taking over the App Store
A recent report highlights a troubling presence of inappropriate apps, classified as suitable for children as young as four years old, on the Apple App Store. These apps were identified by child protection groups Heat Initiative and ParentsTogether Action, who, together with a researcher, conducted an in-depth review of the available apps.
An eye-opening 24-hour check
Their examination, which took place over a period of 24 hours, made it possible to identify more than 200 apps containing concerning content or features for the age groups concerned. These include apps for chatting with strangers, games with sexual or violent incitements, and even AI-based appearance rating apps.
Risk categories
The report focused on apps rated for ages 4 and up, 9 and up, and 12 and up, in categories considered “at risk.” This includes chatting (including stranger chat and AI-based apps), beauty, diet and weight loss, unfiltered internet access (apps that allow access to prohibited sites by schools) and games.
The results are alarming: at least 24 sexual games et 9 apps to chat with strangers were marked as appropriate for children in these age groups. The study also identified 40 unfiltered internet access apps and 75 beauty, body image and weight loss-related apps carrying these age ratings, as well as 28 shooting and crime games. .
A call for Apple to strengthen security measures
The report urges Apple to improve child safety measures on the App Store. He recommends the use of third-party reviewers to verify age ratings of apps before they are available for download, and to make its age rating process transparent to consumers. The full report, titled Rotten Ratings: 24 Hours in Apple’s App Store, is accessible online.
