Child Safety Standards

Age-Appropriate Access Controls

Age Verification: Implement robust age verification at account setup using parental approval for users under 13.

Restricted Features: Automatically restrict certain features for users under 18, such as access to public chat groups or message forwarding.

Parental Controls

Parent Dashboard: Enable parents to manage their child’s Apple Chat usage via Family Sharing, including:

Message Monitoring: Provide optional visibility of chat content (while maintaining child

privacy where necessary).

Screen Time Limits: Set specific times for when children can use the app.

Contact Approval: Require parental approval before adding new contacts.

AI-Powered Content Moderation

Real-Time Filtering:

Automatically detect and block inappropriate content, such as violence, sexual content,

or explicit language, in text, images, or videos.

Blur or censor flagged media before it is visible to the child.

Sensitive Topic Detection: Detect topics like bullying, self-harm, or predatory behavior and alert parents or administrators as needed.

Safe Interactions

Stranger Contact Prevention: Prohibit unknown contacts from messaging minors unless explicitly approved.

Spam Protection: Filter and block spam or phishing attempts targeting child accounts.

Report & Block: Easy-to-access tools for children to block and report inappropriate behavior.

Privacy Protections

Minimal Data Collection: Limit the collection of personal data for users under 18 to the bare minimum required for functionality.

End-to-End Encryption: Ensure all chats are end-to-end encrypted to maintain confidentiality.

Identity Protection: Hide user profiles from public search results and restrict profile visibility to approved contacts.

Educational Features

Safety Education: Offer in-app tips for safe online behavior, such as avoiding sharing personal information or interacting with strangers.

Wellness Notifications: Gently remind children to take breaks after extended usage.

Crisis Response Integration

Emergency Resources: Provide quick access to helplines for mental health, bullying, and child abuse within the app.

AI Alerts: Notify trusted adults or support teams if alarming behavior patterns (e.g., self-harm indicators) are detected.

Accountability & Transparency

Transparency Reports: Regularly publish safety audit reports highlighting steps taken to ensure child safety.

Independent Oversight: Collaborate with child safety organizations for regular reviews and improvements of safety policies.

Compliance with Global Standards

Adhere to global child protection regulations like:

COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) in the USA.

GDPR-K (General Data Protection Regulation for Kids) in the EU.

Local privacy laws in other regions.