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Compliance checklist

What AI companion apps need to do, law by law.

15 practical steps in 5 areas, each tied to the laws and regulator actions in our tracker. Tick them off as you go, or print the page for your next compliance review.

Last reviewed 9 November 20268 laws and actions trackedPrint or save as PDF: use your browser’s print command
01

AI disclosure

Users must know they are talking to an AI, not a person.

What you need to do

Laws and actions behind it

  • In force
    AI Act — transparency obligationsEuropean Union

    Providers must make clear to users that they are interacting with an AI system, with labelling duties for synthetic content.

    Source ↗
  • Enacted
    SB 243 — companion chatbot safeguardsCalifornia, US

    Disclosure that the companion is AI, protocols for users expressing self-harm, and extra protections for minors.

    See tracker
  • In force
    AI companion model safeguardsNew York, US

    Requires detection of and response to suicidal ideation and periodic reminders that the user is talking to an AI.

    See tracker
02

Minors and age assurance

The most active area of law: age checks and extra protections for under-18s.

What you need to do

Laws and actions behind it

  • Enacted
    SB 243 — companion chatbot safeguardsCalifornia, US

    Disclosure that the companion is AI, protocols for users expressing self-harm, and extra protections for minors.

    See tracker
  • In force
    Online Safety Act — age assuranceUnited Kingdom

    Services that allow pornographic or other harmful content must use highly effective age assurance.

    Source ↗
  • Inquiry
    Section 6(b) inquiry into companion chatbotsFTC, US

    Federal study of how companion chatbot providers measure, test and monitor potential harms to children and teens.

    See tracker
  • Enforcement
    Data protection enforcementItaly

    The Garante has taken enforcement action against a companion app over data processing and age-verification failings.

    See tracker
03

Self-harm and crisis protocols

Companion apps are expected to notice and respond when a user is at risk.

What you need to do

Laws and actions behind it

  • Enacted
    SB 243 — companion chatbot safeguardsCalifornia, US

    Disclosure that the companion is AI, protocols for users expressing self-harm, and extra protections for minors.

    See tracker
  • In force
    AI companion model safeguardsNew York, US

    Requires detection of and response to suicidal ideation and periodic reminders that the user is talking to an AI.

    See tracker
04

Data protection and service obligations

How you process personal data, and the registration or assessment duties some markets impose.

What you need to do

Laws and actions behind it

  • Enforcement
    Data protection enforcementItaly

    The Garante has taken enforcement action against a companion app over data processing and age-verification failings.

    See tracker
  • In force
    Interim measures for generative AI servicesChina

    Content, security assessment and registration obligations for public-facing generative AI services.

    See tracker
05

Enforcement and inquiries

Where regulators are already investigating or acting.

What you need to do

Laws and actions behind it

  • Inquiry
    Section 6(b) inquiry into companion chatbotsFTC, US

    Federal study of how companion chatbot providers measure, test and monitor potential harms to children and teens.

    See tracker
  • Enforcement
    Data protection enforcementItaly

    The Garante has taken enforcement action against a companion app over data processing and age-verification failings.

    See tracker

Which apps have teen protections?

Checked 12 November 2026

Minimum ages and teen-safety measures as stated in each app’s terms and app store listings. “Not verified” means we couldn’t confirm it from an official source.

AppMinimum ageAdult contentTeen safety measures
Replika18+ (Google Play rates it Teen)Not allowedAdults-only service that asks for date of birth at sign-up, reserves the right to use age-assurance measures and deletes accounts found to belong to under-18s.
Character.AI18+ on the US App Store; Google Play rates it TeenFilteredOpen-ended chat for under-18s ended in November 2025, with teens limited to features such as Stories, and age assurance uses an in-house model plus third-party verification via Persona.
Nomi18+AllowedUsers self-declare their age at sign-up and the terms reserve the right to add age verification and suspend suspected under-18 accounts; no parental controls or teen mode were found.
Kindroid18+Not verifiedAutomated age estimation can trigger an age-verification request, and Kindroid may ask for proof of age at any time.
Talkie14+ (15 or 16 in some European countries); the iOS listing is rated 18+Not allowedThe terms set a minimum age of 14 and describe no teen mode, while the iOS listing is rated 18+ and lists parental controls and age assurance without detail.
Chai18+Not allowedUnder-18s are barred and age checks run through Persona using a selfie-based age estimate or a government photo ID.
Candy AI18+AllowedAccess relies mainly on a self-declared age gate, and the operator says it may request further adult verification.
OurDream AI18+Not verifiedThe site is gated as adults-only and states age verification is required, without naming the method.
Janitor AI18+AllowedUsers in Australia, Brazil and the UK must complete a one-time age check through k-ID by face scan, ID scan or AgeKey.
SpicyChat18+AllowedUsers in France, the UK, Italy, Australia and 26 US states must pass a video-selfie or ID check before mature content is shown.
PolyBuzz18+Not allowedUsers enter a date of birth on first use, and UK users must pass age verification through Ondato or Yoti.
CrushOn AI18+ (or age of majority, if higher)AllowedThe terms rely on users affirming they are 18+, and the site includes an age-verification flow that keeps mature content off when age cannot be confirmed.
Zeta13+ with parental consent for 13–17 (English terms); Google Play US rates it Mature 17+AllowedExplicit content is confined to an adults-only Unlimited Mode closed to users believed to be under 18, and the terms say age verification may be required where law demands it.
EVA AI18+Not allowedUsers must state they are 18+ at sign-up, and no age-verification method is published.
Paradot18+ (App Store); Google Play rates it Mature 17+Not verifiedNot verified

Keep the checklist current

New laws and enforcement land every week. The tracker and the Weekly Docket newsletter cover every change.

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