Before you give a child a new app: a parent's checklist

The short answer

Take ten minutes before you say yes. Read the app's store page, try the app yourself or have your child show you how it works, and go through the checklist below.
Treat the age rating as a starting point. Ratings mostly reflect content such as violence or language. On Apple's App Store, even an app rated 4+ may have chat, posts from other users and ads, and the video game rating board says online features do not change a game's rating.
Check who can contact your child and what the app collects, then set privacy to the most protective level, as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests.
Turn on purchase approval in Apple's Family Sharing or Google's Family Link, and give the app only the phone permissions it needs.
For children under 13, a federal law called COPPA requires apps aimed at children to get a parent's permission before collecting personal information. Updated rules took effect in June 2025, and companies had until April 22, 2026, to comply.
If someone exploits or threatens your child, report it to the CyberTipline run by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). In a crisis, call or text 988.

The ten-minute check

Do this with the app's store page open and, if you can, the app installed on your own phone or your child showing you around it. The AAP suggests learning how a platform works before your child uses it.

1. The age rating, and what it measures

Find the age rating on the store page and read the reasons listed with it.
Check separately for chat, posts from other users, ads, web browsing and random-reward purchases. The rating may not reflect them.

Where you see it	Ratings	What the rating leaves out
Apple App Store	4+, 9+, 13+, 16+, 18+	Apple's own definitions say a 4+ app may still contain messaging and chat, content made by other users, and advertising. Loot boxes can appear in apps rated 9+.
Video games (ESRB, the Entertainment Software Rating Board)	E (everyone), E10+ (10 and up), T (13 and up), M (17 and up), AO (adults only, 18 and up)	Notices such as "Users Interact," "In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)," "Shares Location" and "Unrestricted Internet" flag online features. The ESRB says they do not influence the rating.
Google Play	A maturity rating on each app's page	The rating is about content. Check the app's "Data safety" section separately for what it collects and shares.

A rating tells you the content is generally suitable for an age group. It does not tell you the app suits your child.

2. Who can contact my child

Can strangers send messages, voice chat, friend requests or gifts?
Can you limit contact to approved friends, or turn chat off?
Is the account private when it is set up, or do you have to change that yourself?

The AAP suggests agreeing ahead of time on who your child may chat with and who can contact them.

3. What the app collects and shares

On an iPhone, read the app's privacy section on the App Store page. Look for "Data Used to Track You," which Apple describes as data combined with other companies' data and used for ads or shared with data brokers.
On Android, read the "Data safety" section on the Google Play page and tap See details to see what is collected and what is shared with other companies.
Check whether you can delete the account and its data.

Both summaries are written by the app's developer. Apple says its labels are self-reported. Google says developers do not have to list some kinds of data, and that even an independent security review does not check whether the Data safety section is accurate or complete. Use them as a starting point, not a guarantee. If an app asks for health information, see what to check before sharing health records with an app.

4. Purchases, loot boxes and ads

Does it sell coins, gems, passes, subscriptions or extra lives?
Does it sell loot boxes, purchases where you do not know what you will get until you pay? Look for the ESRB notice "In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)."
Does it show ads, and can a tap on an ad take your child to another app or website?
Turn on purchase approval before you hand the device over (steps below).

Example (fictional): Kai, 10, asks for a free building game rated 9+. His mother sees it sells gem packs for $4.99 each. In one afternoon Kai taps three packs, which would cost $14.97. Because she turned on purchase approval first, each tap sends her a request instead of a charge, and she declines.

5. Camera, microphone, location and contacts

When the app asks for a permission, ask: does it need this to work?
Say no to location, contacts, camera or microphone unless a feature your child will use needs it.
After setup, open the phone's settings and check which permissions the app has.

Google notes that turning off some permissions can stop parts of an app from working. That is a trade-off to decide on, not a reason to allow everything.

6. Who can see what my child posts

Is the profile private, or can anyone see posts, videos and the user name?
Can strangers comment, share or download your child's posts?
Does the app show your child's location to others? The ESRB notice "Shares Location" flags this in games.

7. How to report and block

Find the block and report buttons together before there is a problem.
Agree that your child will tell you if something online upsets them, and that you will help. The AAP stresses keeping that conversation open, even when a child feels embarrassed.
If someone threatens your child, keep the messages (screenshots help) so you can report them.

The federal rule for children under 13 (COPPA)

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) COPPA Rule protect children under 13. They apply to websites, apps and online services aimed at children, and to general-audience services that know they are collecting information from a child under 13. The FTC says a service can be aimed at children even if its terms say children may not use it.

In general, these services must get verifiable parental consent before collecting a child's personal information. Parents can ask to review the information, have it deleted, and refuse further collection or use.

The 2025 changes. The FTC finalized amendments to the rule on January 16, 2025, and published them in the Federal Register on April 22, 2025. They took effect on June 23, 2025. Companies had until April 22, 2026, to comply, except for a few safe harbor program duties that had earlier deadlines. The main changes:

A separate parental consent before a company discloses a child's information to others, including for targeted advertising.
Companies may keep children's information only as long as reasonably needed for the purpose it was collected for, not indefinitely.
"Personal information" now includes biometric identifiers and government-issued identifiers.
Industry "safe harbor" programs that oversee companies must disclose their members and report more to the FTC.

The FTC chose not to adopt proposed rules on push notifications to children. In February 2026 it also issued a policy statement meant to encourage companies to use age verification technology.

COPPA does not cover teens 13 to 17. If you think an app collected your young child's information without your permission, you can report it to the FTC.

California laws, and where the court cases stand

In California, two laws aimed at children's online experience have been in court for years. This is the status found on October 26, 2026. Court rulings can change it quickly, so check before relying on it.

Law	What it does, in brief	Court status found on October 26, 2026
California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (AB 2273)	Sets privacy and design duties for online services children are likely to use, including estimating users' ages, limits on how children's data is used, a ban on "dark patterns" (designs that nudge users into choices), and risk-assessment reports	The tech industry group NetChoice sued before the law took effect, and a trial court blocked the whole law. On March 12, 2026, a federal appeals court (the Ninth Circuit) kept the data-use limits and the dark-patterns ban blocked; the risk-assessment report requirement also stays blocked. It lifted the rest of the order and sent the case back to the trial court. No later ruling was found. Unresolved.
Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act (SB 976, 2024)	Bars social media platforms from showing users under 18 a personalized "addictive feed" without verifiable parental consent, and requires parental control settings	On September 9, 2025, the Ninth Circuit let the feed limits and private-by-default account settings take effect while NetChoice's case continues, but found the ban on showing minors "like" counts likely unconstitutional. Meta, TikTok and Google (YouTube) then sued. The trial court denied their requests to block the feed rules on August 5, 2026, and refused to pause them during appeal on August 21, 2026. Starting in late August 2026, the companies asked the Ninth Circuit to block the rules during the appeal. No ruling on that request was found. Unresolved.

What this means for you. These laws put duties on companies, not families. You do not need to sign up for anything. You may see apps ask a parent to approve a personalized feed for a teen, or change their default settings, as the cases move forward.

Parental controls on iPhone and Android

Documented from official help pages, not tested. The steps below come from Apple's and Google's help pages as checked on October 26, 2026. Menus change with software updates, and the controls do not reach every setting inside every app, so also check the app's own privacy and chat settings.

iPhone and iPad (Apple Family Sharing)

Set up Family Sharing and a child account. Apple says the child should have their own Apple Account, not a shared one.
Apple's page describes the newer parental controls in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. On older software, menus may differ.
Most controls are under Settings > Family > your child's name.
Ask to Buy: under Apps & Websites > Restrictions > Ask to Buy, turn on Require Purchase Approval. Your child's download and purchase requests come to you. Apple says this is on by default for children under 13, and in some places cannot be turned off for children under 18.
Installing apps: under Apps & Websites > App Store, set installing apps to Allowed or Blocked.
Who can contact them: under Allowed Contacts > During Screen Time, choose Contacts Only, Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact, or Everyone.
Communication Safety: turn it on to help warn about or block photos and videos with detected nudity, gore or violence in text messages and FaceTime calls.
Content & Privacy Restrictions: set age-based ratings for apps, limit Game Center private messaging, and set privacy restrictions by category.
Time: Screen Time Schedule sets when apps can be used; Time Allowances sets daily limits by category.

Android phones and tablets (Google Family Link)

In the Family Link app, select your child, tap Controls > Google Play, and choose the highest maturity level of apps and games your child may download or buy.
Purchase approvals: under Purchases & download approvals, tap Require approval for and pick All content, Paid content only, In-app purchases only, or Never. Google says these approvals cover only purchases made through Google Play's billing system.
App permissions: under Controls > Signed-in devices, select the device, tap App permissions, choose a permission, and select Only parents so your child cannot grant it. Google says this does not undo permissions already granted, and you must set it on each device.
Blocking an app: under Screen time > Time limits > App limits, select the app and switch Allowed to Blocked.
Age sharing, where available, lets you choose whether apps receive your child's age range.

Talking with an older child about a new app

Older children and teens are more likely to follow rules they helped make. The AAP suggests having your child show you how a new app works, and agreeing on who can contact them, how to report problem posts, and whether they can make purchases. Questions to try:

What do you like about it, and what do your friends do on it?
Who can message you? Have you met everyone you talk to there in person?
What would you do if someone asked for photos, money, a password, or to keep a secret?
Can you show me how to block and report someone?
How will we know it is going well, and when should we check in again?

For household rules on time, bedrooms and first phones, see how to make a family media and screen-time plan.

Signs of a problem, and where to get help

Stop and talk with your child if:

charges or download requests appear that you did not expect. Check the purchase settings above.
someone your child met in the app asks for photos, money or secrecy, offers gifts, or makes threats. If someone threatens to share sexual images, the family media and screen-time plan guide explains the steps NCMEC advises.
your child seems upset, withdrawn or secretive after using the app, or is losing sleep. Their pediatrician or clinician is a good first call.
texts with surprise links arrive on your child's phone. See how to spot fake delivery, toll and bank texts.

The CyberTipline takes reports of suspected online sexual exploitation of children, including online enticement and a child being threatened or exploited online. Report at www.cybertipline.org or call 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST), NCMEC's 24-hour call center.

Get help now

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. To report online sexual exploitation, threats or enticement of a child, contact the NCMEC CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.org or 1-800-843-5678. If your child talks about suicide or self-harm, or you are worried about their safety, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is confidential and open 24 hours a day. More on when to seek urgent mental-health help.

Sources

Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule ("COPPA") — Federal Trade Commission, page updated July 27, 2026; accessed October 26, 2026.
Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule, 90 FR 16918 — Federal Trade Commission, final rule, Federal Register, April 22, 2025 (DATES section: effective June 23, 2025; compliance date April 22, 2026); accessed October 26, 2026.
FTC Finalizes Changes to Children's Privacy Rule Limiting Companies' Ability to Monetize Kids' Data — Federal Trade Commission, January 16, 2025; accessed October 26, 2026.
Complying with COPPA: Frequently Asked Questions — Federal Trade Commission, page updated July 10, 2026; accessed October 26, 2026.
NetChoice, LLC v. Bonta, No. 25-2366 — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, opinion filed March 12, 2026 (reproduced by Justia); accessed October 26, 2026.
Ninth Circuit Upholds Key Parts of California Social Media Addiction Law — National Law Review, September 23, 2025, on the Ninth Circuit's September 9, 2025 decision; accessed October 26, 2026.
Order Denying Motions for Preliminary Injunction Pending Appeal, Meta Platforms, TikTok and Google v. Bonta — U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, August 21, 2026 (copy hosted by Courthouse News Service); accessed October 26, 2026.
Meta Asks Ninth Circuit to Block SB 976 Pending Appeal — Metropolitan News-Enterprise, August 26, 2026; accessed October 26, 2026.
Platforms Push Court To Block Recommendation Restrictions — MediaPost, September 11, 2026; accessed October 26, 2026.
Set up parental controls to manage your child's iPhone or iPad — Apple Support, published October 26, 2026; accessed October 26, 2026.
Age ratings values and definitions — Apple, App Store Connect Help; accessed October 26, 2026.
About privacy information on the App Store and the choices you have to control your data — Apple Support, September 16, 2024; accessed October 26, 2026.
Manage your child's Google Play apps — Google, Family Link Help; accessed October 26, 2026.
Purchase approvals on Google Play — Google, Family Link Help; accessed October 26, 2026.
Manage your child's app permissions — Google, Family Link Help; accessed October 26, 2026.
Understand the Data safety section on Google Play — Google, Google Play Help; accessed October 26, 2026.
Ratings Guide — Entertainment Software Rating Board; accessed October 26, 2026.
Kids & Tech: Tips for Parents in the Digital Age — American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, last updated January 16, 2024; accessed October 26, 2026.
The CyberTipline: America's front line against online child sexual exploitation — National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, July 9, 2026; accessed October 26, 2026.
Suicide Prevention Resources — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last reviewed May 1, 2026; accessed October 26, 2026.