Apple App Store Under Fire for Inappropriate Apps Targeting Young Children
A bombshell report from the Heat Initiative and ParentsTogether Action reveals a disturbing trend: hundreds of apps on Apple’s app store, rated for children as young as four, contain inappropriate and possibly harmful content. The groups, along with an self-reliant researcher, conducted a 24-hour audit of the App Store, uncovering a shocking number of apps with concerning features.
The examination focused on apps categorized as “risky,” including chat apps (AI and stranger chat), beauty and weight loss apps, apps providing unfiltered internet access, and games. The report details the finding of over 200 apps with “concerning content or features,” given their age ratings. These included at least 24 sexual games and 9 stranger chat apps rated for children aged 4+, 9+, and 12+. Additionally, the researchers identified 40 apps providing unfiltered internet access and 75 apps focused on beauty, body image, and weight loss, all inappropriately rated for young children. A further 28 shooter and crime games were also flagged.
The cumulative downloads for these problematic apps exceed a staggering 550 million,according to the Heat Initiative. The report highlights a significant disparity in age ratings across different app categories. While stranger chat apps and games were often rated appropriately (17+), “nearly all apps reviewed in the weight loss and unfiltered internet access categories were approved for kids 4+,” the report states.This discrepancy underscores a critical failure in Apple’s app review process.
“the research found that some categories were more likely than others to carry apps with inappropriately low age ratings,” the report notes.
The Heat Initiative and ParentsTogether Action are calling for immediate action from Apple. They urge the company to implement stricter review processes, including the use of third-party reviewers to verify age ratings before app release. Furthermore, they advocate for greater openness in apple’s age rating system, ensuring consumers have access to clear and accurate data about app content.
The full report, “Rotten Ratings: 24 Hours in Apple’s app Store,” is available for download here. This alarming situation highlights the urgent need for enhanced child safety measures within the digital landscape and underscores the obligation of tech companies to protect vulnerable users.
