Apple App Store Age Restriction
The Apple App Store (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ingress-prime/id576505181) states that Ingress is for people 9 years old and over, but the Niantic Terms of Service (https://nianticlabs.com/terms/ Section 3.6) states that you must be at least 13 years old (in the United States, the age varies in other regions).
I believe the Niantic Terms supersede the App Store recommendation, and the Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nianticproject.ingress) states that you must be at least 13 years old in order to play Ingress.
However, I know of agents who believe the 9 year old statement of Apple App Store and take it as the definitive answer.
I believe Niantic put this rule into place to comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) in the United States (https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule).
Can you clarify what the minimum age is to play Ingress?
Can you correct the listing in the Apple App Store, if 13 years of age is the minimum age?
Can you outline the procedure to report suspected violations of the minimum age rule?
Comments
I can't comment on where the lawyers at Niantic will fall, but the age restrictions as far as I'm aware have always been to allow features of the game to exist, such as COMM, by not requiring them to comply with COPPA. Agents under that age are choosing to do so in contravention with legal requirements, but whether Niantic chooses to act upon that is a whole different question.
Can you outline the procedure to report suspected violations of the minimum age rule?
To quote an old version of the Player Guidelines:
If you believe someone is cheating, do not contact them, or investigate for yourself. Report the situation to NIA Ops, and continue on with your play.
How to carry on playing when you know your oponent is cheating? THIS is the topic we should be talking about (while Niantic 'takes apropiate actions').
Is a child preventing you from playing? Asking generic questions gets a generic answer.