Apple has made efforts to make its devices more family-friendly by providing parental controls for better protection of children. The features include Screen Time setting which should limit the number of hours that children should be able to use their devices.
However, it seems like children have been able to override this due to a bug that allows them to get unlimited access. This was as changes made to the devices reverted to their default despite being applied by the parents.
Apple Screen Time Setting Bug Limits the Number of Hours a Kid can Use Their Device
According to the story by Mashable, parents have been voicing out their concerns to Apple regarding how the Screen Time settings weren't working. This was as if kids were able to get unlimited screen time due to a bug in the settings.
The news comes from The Wall Street Journal, which reports that the devices' settings would revert to their default mode despite changes being made. This meant that when parents apply a specific Screen Time limit, the device won't follow this and continue to function as usual.
The Screen Time Feature Can be Found Within the Family Sharing Tool
Screen Time is reportedly a feature that can be found within the Family Sharing tool of Apple's cloud. The setting would allow parents to be able to set up limits on screen time, content, and privacy restrictions on the Apple devices.
Through the Screen Time settings, users have access to one called Downtime, which lets parents limit the number of hours that the device would allow kids to use. This could potentially limit the kid's usage or even result in the device becoming unusable.
The Feature Should Also Block the Users' Select Device Against Inappropriate Content
With regards to busy parents, the new settings is a way to ensure that children won't spend too much time on their devices. The feature also stops children from being able to access what was described as "inappropriate content."
However, the settings have stopped working and although Apple has noted that they have addressed the matter found within an iOS 16.6 update, the same issue still shows itself even with the iOS 17 beta. WSJ reports that a certain parent had to change the Downtime setting three times for it to be implemented.
Apple Responds to the Issue and Promises Future Updates
Apple had reportedly acknowledged the issue and noted that they take the reports very seriously. They then said that they would be doing their best to provide updates and improve the situation, which could be critical to parents who give their children access to Apple devices.
As of press time, parents are left with using third-party apps in order for them to be able to monitor devices or have control over the restriction settings of the individual devices. These third-party devices were used to limit the kids' screen time and block access to inappropriate content.
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