Families: Families Policy policy

Families Policy: Ads SDK Not Certified for Children

High RiskMedium DifficultyTypical Fix: 3-7 days0 Reports

Also known as:Not adhering to Families policy requirements policyTarget audience and content does not match app behaviorAds SDK not certified for Designed for FamiliesRestricted identifiers transmitted to users under 13Mixed audience app missing neutral age screen

Our Take

Google rejects or issues a cure notice to apps that serve ads to child-inclusive audiences using an SDK version not on the Families Self-Certified Ads SDK Program list, or that declare a target audience in Play Console that doesn't match the app's actual content, imagery, or marketing.

This happens because Google independently evaluates audience signals — store listing graphics, character art, and language — regardless of what a developer selects in the Target audience and content form, so a mismatch between declared audience and creative assets triggers enforcement even without a manual report. Mixed-audience apps that skip a neutral age screen before showing personalized ads to users who could be under 13 are flagged for the same reason.

Resolution Guide

Re-check your Target Audience declaration

Go to Play Console > Policy > App content > Target audience and content > Manage, and select only the age groups your app is genuinely designed and safe for. Google states it assesses accuracy independently of your answers, so this alone won't fix a mismatch — see step 2.

Audit store listing assets for age signals

Review your icon, screenshots, feature graphic, video, and description for cartoon characters, youthful language, or imagery that skews younger than your declared audience (or vice versa). Replace anything inconsistent with your actual declared audience.

Check your ads SDK against the certified list

Compare every ad SDK and version in your app against Google's Families Self-Certified Ads SDK list (support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9283445). As of this policy, certified partners include Google AdMob (19.0.0+), Google Ad Manager (18.0.0+), ironSource (7.2.1+), Unity Ads (4.0.1+), Chartboost, AdColony, Kidoz, and Vungle. Note: AppLovin exited the certification program in 2023 and is not eligible for child-directed ad serving.

Upgrade or replace non-certified SDKs

If your ads SDK isn't certified, update to a certified version or swap providers. Rebuild and confirm the new SDK doesn't request personalized ads or restricted identifiers (AAID, SIM serial, Build serial) for any user flagged as a child.

Implement a neutral age screen for mixed-audience apps

If your app appeals to both children and adults, add an age gate before ad personalization or any COPPA-covered flow. Google explicitly prohibits designs that "encourage users to falsify their age" (e.g., pre-filled birthdates or an implied minimum age) — the screen must be neutral.

Disable personalized/interest-based ads and remarketing for children

Configure your ad SDK's child-directed treatment flag (e.g., AdMob's tagForChildDirectedTreatment) so children only see non-personalized, age-appropriate creative pools.

Check for hidden identifier leaks in bundled SDKs

Analytics/crash SDKs (e.g., a reflection-based AdvertisingIdClient call bundled inside another SDK) have caused unintentional restricted-identifier transmission. Audit your full dependency tree, not just your primary ad network.

Resubmit and monitor the cure window

Fix all flagged items before resubmitting; Google typically gives a 90-day cure period for SDK decertification issues, but resubmitting with violations still present can accelerate removal.

Example Rejection Email

From:Google Play Developer Support

Subject:Policy violation - Families Policy: Ads SDK Not Certified f

Google Play Console — Policy status Issue found: Not adhering to Families Policy requirements We reviewed your app and found the following issue with your Target audience and content declaration and/or ads implementation: - Your app's store listing and/or in-app content appears to target children, but your ads SDK (or SDK version) is not on the Families Self-Certified Ads SDK list, OR - Your declared target audience does not match the app's actual content and marketing assets Apps that are directed at or appeal to children must serve ads exclusively through certified SDK versions and must not transmit restricted identifiers (Advertising ID, SIM serial, Build serial) to children. Action required: - Re-declare your target audience accurately in Play Console under Policy > App content > Target audience and content - Replace any non-certified ad SDK with a certified version, or implement a neutral age screen to gate ad personalization for mixed-audience apps - Update store listing marketing assets if they do not match your declared audience - You have 90 days to resolve this issue before your app is removed from Google Play Learn more: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9900633

Consider Appealing

Appeal only if your target audience declaration and marketing assets are genuinely accurate and you believe the SDK detection is a false positive (e.g., you already upgraded to a certified SDK version but Google's scan hasn't caught up, or a decertified SDK is present in your dependency tree but never actually initialized/loaded). Include your Play Console declaration screenshots, the certified SDK list version you're using, and evidence (build.gradle or SDK version logs) that the correct version ships in production. If your store listing genuinely skews toward children while your declared audience is general, don't appeal — fix the assets and resubmit, since Google's automated audience assessment is documented to override developer self-declaration.

Generate Appeal

Before & After

Before — Rejected

A puzzle game declares its target audience as "13 and older" but uses bright cartoon mascots and playful copy ("Join Benny Bear on a fun adventure!") in its store listing, and serves personalized ads through an ad SDK version not on the Families Self-Certified list.

After — Approved

The developer either (a) keeps the cartoon branding and re-declares the app as child-inclusive, upgrades to a certified AdMob SDK version, and disables personalized ads/restricted identifiers for children, or (b) keeps the 13+ audience and replaces the mascot-driven store listing with age-neutral assets and copy.

What changed: Google evaluates audience signals independently of the declared checkbox, so the marketing assets and the ad SDK's certification status both have to align with whichever audience is actually declared — fixing only one side leaves the mismatch in place.