Google Expands Play Signal API for Safer Apps

Google is expanding its Play Signal API globally, giving Android developers a new way to identify the age range of users and deliver age-appropriate experiences without collecting sensitive personal information. The feature, which is already available in Brazil, will expand to Australia and Canada by mid-August before rolling out to additional markets by the end of 2026.

The expansion comes as governments and regulators introduce stricter requirements for protecting children online, placing greater responsibility on app stores and developers to provide safer digital experiences for younger users.

Age Verification Without Sharing Personal Data

The Play Signal API enables developers to receive a user’s age range instead of personal details such as a date of birth. Parents can choose to share their child’s age range with compatible applications, while adult users can also provide their own age range when requested by developers.

Google said the information is only shared with applications after users or parents choose to enable the feature.Age settings are managed through Google Family Link, allowing parents to control how age information is shared across supported applications from a single dashboard instead of configuring each app individually.

Supporting Child Safety on Google Play

The Play Signal API adds to Google’s existing child safety tools on Google Play. Developers can already restrict younger users from discovering certain applications, while parents can use Family Link to manage screen time, approve app downloads and apply content restrictions. Google said the latest expansion is intended to help developers build experiences that better reflect the age of their users while maintaining greater privacy by limiting the personal information shared with applications.