Guideline 1.1 objectionable content App Review checklist

Inventory every content source

List first-party articles, images, audio, video, comments, profiles, chat, prompts, AI outputs, ads, external web content, sample data, stickers, search results, notifications, and App Store metadata.

A controlled app can still fail if example content, screenshots, or ad inventory contains hateful, sexual, exploitative, violent, bullying, or otherwise objectionable material.

Match controls to content risk

• Moderation queues, reporting, blocking, filtering, age gates, and content warnings where appropriate.
• Human review or automated safeguards for generated content and public posting.
• Ad category exclusions and brand-safety controls.
• Seed content and sample data reviewed before submission.
• Escalation routes for threats, harassment, self-harm, child safety, or illegal content.

Review metadata as content

App names, subtitles, keywords, screenshots, previews, event cards, and custom product pages can create objectionable-content risk. Marketing copy should not use shock, harassment, sexualization, or unsafe challenges to win attention.

AppReviewReady interpretation: a clean in-app feed does not protect a submission if the App Store page itself creates the content problem.

Test reviewer-visible paths

1. Use a fresh account, new account, flagged account, blocked account, and underage state where relevant.
2. Search for risky terms if search or recommendations exist.
3. Trigger generated content boundaries and moderation failures.
4. Check empty states, onboarding examples, notifications, and ads.
5. Confirm reporting and blocking paths work without hidden support access.

Content safety record

Keep the record practical. It should tell the release team which surfaces are safe, which are controlled, and which need stronger product decisions before submission.

After launch, review reports and blocked-content events by surface. If one surface repeatedly generates safety work, it may deserve a dedicated help page, tighter limits, or a different App Store positioning strategy.

For AI or recommendation products, test adversarial prompts and search terms before submission. A model or ranking system can expose objectionable output even when first-party seed content is clean.

If the app monetizes attention through ads or creator content, review incentive loops. Rewards, leaderboards, or viral prompts can push users toward content that the product team did not intend to feature.

When content rules vary by country or age, make the unavailable state understandable. Silently hiding content without explanation can look like a broken app, while showing it everywhere can create safety risk.

If moderation is partly manual, confirm staffing before submission. A reviewer can approve a feature that later becomes unsafe if reports queue for days without an owner.

1.1 content record:
Content source: [surface]
Risk type: [category]
Control: [filter/moderation/report]
Reviewer path: [steps]
Age or region limits: [if any]
Escalation owner: [team]
Metadata checked: [yes/no]