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Apple iOS Now Age Restricts Websites in Australia (lemmy.nz)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by Zarobi@aussie.zone to c/privacy@lemmy.world
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Apple iOS now requires age verification to access websites it deems 18+. Not even using another browser like Firefox works, it's blocked at the OS level.

I was putting off switching to Graphene or e/os until prices improve, but looks like my hand is forced.

Edit: VPN doesn't even work because Apple knows your GPS location. I haven't tried location spoofing yet because that's a bit more annoying to setup.

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[-] Psythik@lemmy.world 76 points 6 days ago

FYI, there are no alternative browsers on iOS. Every single one is Safari with a skin, even Firefox. This is also a requirement by Apple, and one of the many reasons why I'll never own an iPhone. It's my device; I should be allowed to use any browser I want, install anything I want.

[-] bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 13 points 6 days ago

What the fuck? How is that legal.

[-] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 24 points 6 days ago

It’s not…in the EU. So they lift the restriction there and there only. It’s clearly not a technical limitation, just greed.

[-] Xatolos@reddthat.com 1 points 5 days ago

Agreed to it in the EULA (most likely)

[-] Ripley_Tripley@lemmus.org 6 points 5 days ago

Yep, thats one reason why i went to e/OS. Never went back.

[-] makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

e/os here. A few months in on a Fairphone. Very happy so far

[-] Ripley_Tripley@lemmus.org 2 points 5 days ago

Im using it on the Teracube 2s (2025). Kinda laggy phone but very decent.

[-] Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

How does that work? Do you have any links with more information?

I use Orion browser on an iPhone. I'm not sure what to search to find info about how this all works on that browser. All my searches are returning are sites that compare features between the two. I'm not a tech person (unless you ask non-Millennials), and this is the first time I've heard that every iOS browser is actually Safari in disguise. I need to know more!

[-] IMALlama@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago

https://www.theregister.com/software/2026/06/17/apples-webkit-performance-tax-leaves-ios-browsers-stuck-in-the-slow-lane-says-microsoft/5257384

due to Apple's platform rules, every browser that runs on iOS is WebKit-based, so there are few opportunities for competitive differentiation outside of interface elements.

"Even in the EU and Japan, where Apple is now required to allow browser vendors to use their own engines, the barriers it has put in place ensure browser vendors are prevented from porting their own engines to iOS. Given that Apple has now had more than two years to produce a compliant solution, the European Commission needs to open a specification proceeding to instruct Apple, in precise terms, how these barriers must be removed."

[-] Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

While I still don't fully understand what it means by "engines," that certainly explains why it takes fucking forever for webpages to load on my phone.

Thank you for providing more info!

[-] JustDadThings@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago

This has actually not been the case, in most regions, since iOS 17.4. Chrome and Firefox now use Blink and Gecko, respectively. There are exceptions where WebKit is still to only engine including the EU.

[-] Psythik@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Then why is Firefox on my girlfriend's iPhone 15 Plus very obviously Safari?

this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2026
337 points (98.8% liked)

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