Age verification is becoming a common requirement across the internet, including the Google Play Store, making it necessary to confirm your age to download certain apps. Google is implementing this to comply with laws designed to protect children from inappropriate content.
The Need for Verification
The primary purpose of age verification is to prevent minors from accessing content deemed inappropriate, such as overly violent games or mature dating apps. The main concern for many users, however, is the security and privacy of their personal data. Unlike showing an ID physically, this process often involves uploading identification or a picture to a server, raising fears about how this information is stored and used. Currently, if you want to download an age-restricted app on the Play Store, verification is unavoidable as Google is following legal mandates.
Methods for Verifying Your Age
Once prompted by the Play Store, you must verify your age before downloading the specific age-restricted app. Google offers several options for this process:
- Government-Issued ID: Upload a driver’s license or passport. Google may use a third party to cross-check the photo and birthdate.
- Selfie Scan: Use a service like Verifymy.io, which utilizes AI to estimate your age from a picture. This may fail if your appearance suggests you are younger than you are.
- Credit Card: A small, temporary, and refundable fee is charged to confirm you hold a credit card, which typically requires a person to be 18 or older.
- Email History: If your email address is old and has a long usage history, Google might use this to verify your age based on account activity. This is the recommended option for those worried about ID/selfie security, provided the email is not new.
The process usually takes only a few minutes. If a method fails, you can try another. If all attempts fail, you must contact Google Customer Support, as failure to verify can lock you out of age-restricted content or, in rare cases, your entire account.
Verification Applies Across Google Services
If you have previously verified your age for certain content on YouTube, you will likely not have to do it again for the Play Store, provided you use the same email address. The Play Store’s verification is triggered by the content rating of specific apps, even if you were previously able to skip it on YouTube.
Geographic and Parental Exemptions
Age verification is only required in regions and countries that have passed specific age verification laws. However, users are advised to proactively verify their age directly through Google’s age verification page to be prepared for any future law changes.
For children, parents can approve age-restricted apps after they have verified their own age. They can then set up parental controls using Google Family Link to manage their child’s Android device usage.
Bypassing is Risky
It is technically possible to use a VPN to set your location to an area without age verification laws. However, Google tracks user activity and location history using AI. If the usage pattern suddenly changes, it could trigger an account lock or permanent suspension for trying to bypass the legal restrictions. The safer alternative is to download the app from reputable third-party app stores.
