Apple Acknowledges Screen Time Bug, Promises Further Improvements

[JH101]

Pplaying Big Brother on your children is not teaching them or learning them anything. You know what does? Trusting them to more or less follow the boundaries you set for them, not by pressing a button on a phone, but a boundary you're telling, teaching and explaining to them.

That's the real parental control... But again, the horror of actually talking and teaching your kids instead of lazily blaming Apple for not doing it for you.

you are kidding....right?

 

[budf15]

This screen time bug makes it utterly useless for its primary purpose. Having the kind of control Screen Time promised was a key factor in our decision to give our middle school kids phones. Now we're in a constant battle with the bugs that reset various settings at random times. It's infuriating.

That being the case, what are some alternative services (like Bark?) that are effective in replacing the failure that is Screen Time?

 

[jedimasterkyle]

This screen time bug makes it utterly useless for its primary purpose. Having the kind of control Screen Time promised was a key factor in our decision to give our middle school kids phones. Now we're in a constant battle with the bugs that reset various settings at random times. It's infuriating.

That being the case, what are some alternative services (like Bark?) that are effective in replacing the failure that is Screen Time?

Freedom: Internet, App and Website Blocker

Easily block distracting websites and apps on any device. The original and best website blocker, Freedom helps you be more focused and productive.

freedom.to

I've had fairly good luck with Freedom.to. I have it running on my Mac and it works pretty well. Essentially, it installs a VPN profile and all of the web traffic requests get re-routed through that. The only catch is that if your kids phone has the ability to uninstall apps, then all they would have to do is uninstall Freedom and they're back to circumventing it.

 

[budf15]

Freedom: Internet, App and Website Blocker

Easily block distracting websites and apps on any device. The original and best website blocker, Freedom helps you be more focused and productive.

freedom.to

I've had fairly good luck with Freedom.to. I have it running on my Mac and it works pretty well. Essentially, it installs a VPN profile and all of the web traffic requests get re-routed through that. The only catch is that if your kids phone has the ability to uninstall apps, then all they would have to do is uninstall Freedom and they're back to circumventing it.

Thanks, I'll check it out!

 

[scouser75]

So glad I was linked to this thread.

After a lengthy process with Apple, I finally got my daughter's Apple ID PW reset.

Whilst doing this, I was able to pick up some severe security issues on Apple's side. And to be fair, some embarrassing security misses from my side.

I realised that somehow there was a second 2 factor authentication number added to my daughters account. I have absolutely no idea how it got there.

After a battle I got it removed.

Then even though I have parental control setup, it was turned off. I turned it all back on. Then moved to check her account on rhe Mac. Again all parental controls were off.

I'm lucky as she is really good and hardly goes on her phone at all. And never goes on the Mac (but that's coz I'm just as I father my mac as much as I do my kids and am worried she'll damage it 🤣).

I bought all this to the attention of Apple and the rep I spoke with response was "oh this can sometimes happen"!

 

[burraga]

Screen time App Limits time setting continues to reset on my children’s devices running iOS 17. Very frustrating