Investors Urge Apple to Do More to Protect Children From Smartphone Addiction [Updated]

[TraceyS/FL]

Parents are always judged on here - I"ve been labeled "evil" for wanting to have TOOLS to limit my kids access to the internet. Mostly by people that don' have kids.... oh the irony.

The Parental Controls need updating, especially with younger and younger kids. I've submitted suggestions for years, and Apple still doesn't do anything. If a big group can influence them - then i'm behind it, even now that my kids are mostly grown out of the need for them. Give parents tools - there is loads more than can be done on Apple's side.

 

[Pipper99]

Read this article recently regarding the issues. Interesting read:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazin...the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/

 

[Starship67]

2nd most absurd thing I’ve read today.

 

[macintoshmac]

With how people think Apple to be, the day isn't far when they would ask Apple's help in anything under the sun. It is not Apple's fault that kids are addicted. It is just parents allowing that exposure to kids and getting them hooked.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

How about showing this to your kids?

Parents are always judged on here - I"ve been labeled "evil" for wanting to have TOOLS to limit my kids access to the internet. Mostly by people that don' have kids.... oh the irony.

The Parental Controls need updating, especially with younger and younger kids. I've submitted suggestions for years, and Apple still doesn't do anything. If a big group can influence them - then i'm behind it, even now that my kids are mostly grown out of the need for them. Give parents tools - there is loads more than can be done on Apple's side.

Parental Control is just as good as a Chaperone. Let's see what happens when the Chaperone is not around...

Hah! Someone just sent me an interesting video about this subject. And the advice is not for the parents, but for the kids.
Basically, it mentions what parents should have already been teaching their kids.
https://download-a.akamaihd.net/files/content_assets/67/502016296_E_cnt_1_r720P.mp4

 

[nwcs]

This is a TOTAL cop out. If you were adult enough to have intercourse and bear children, you're adult enough to set boundaries, period. It's NOT hard to turn off a television, tell your kids to go out and play, and actually say NO to things. It's also VERY possible to say "no, you can't play with that kid."

Outmaneuvered by advertising? What does that even mean? Do the kids suddenly have credit cards? If you want to win that "struggle" perhaps the best course of action is to start being kids' parents, and stop trying to be their friends, and that starts with saying "I don't care if you're angry, I'm NOT spending MY money on this."

Also, "clever children" can't replace TouchID unless mommy is passed out drunk or on valium on the sofa.

Obviously you didn’t read my whole message. In any case, I have taken a policy that I don’t respond to people who reply in such a way any longer. Life is too short to suffer blowhards who are only comfortable in their hyper aggressive, self-assured manner that assumes they are the only source of actual truth or opinion. Blocking you, thanks.

 

[Pipper99]

I have taken a policy that I don’t respond to people who reply in such a way any longer. Life is too short to suffer blowhards who are only comfortable in their hyper aggressive, self-assured manner that assumes they are the only source of actual truth or opinion.

This is great. I may have to use it in the future.

 

[JediZenMaster]

So Apple now has to act as a Helicopter parent?

Good grief! When will others being blamed for the lack of accountability end.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

So Apple now has to act as a Helicopter parent?

Good grief! When will others being blamed for the lack of accountability end.

What's a Helicopter parent? Do you mean a Drone Parent?

 

[pmhparis]

There is no "consensus" that phones need more nanny software. They are only claiming that there is one to attempt to appear more mainstream than they are.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Protect kids??
Where do you think they learn the behavior? The addicted adults.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Tech-addiction, ADHD... Aka sh*t parenting.

Each morning that I arrive at school, there are children with panda eyes who won't stop yawning throughout the day. Who are fidgety, easily distracted and unable to engage with the lesson. All they think about is when they get their next fix on a tablet or games console/PC - and console themselves by discussing the games and exchanging friend codes during independent learning.

Yet, staff get the blame for poor results from area managers and parents (The former may inspect once in a school year).

Parents need to take more responsibility and be role models for their children. I never thought I'd find myself doing the "back in my day" routine, but I've come to realisation that it is inevitable. I was limited to 1 hour on my 'NES' a day as a child and that was that, no negotiation. When it was turned off, I had to find my own entertainment elsewhere. The BBC Micro at school was a luxury off-set by the fact you had to learn some programming to actually use it. In other words, you had to give to get.

Lazy parenting has reversed the situation, where now it is the children negotiating and parents who cannot be bothered standing their ground so long as the child is happy (and to avoid tantrums). I find this so infuriatingly selfish and ridiculous that it makes me wonder what these sorts of reports hope to achieve.

Parents who don't want to take responsibility should think about the examples that were set to them. I recall when I was little, my mum would never let me drink Coca Cola (bar parties) ever. "It'll rot your teeth!", "But all my mates drink it!". That and other restrictions were tough going, but as an adult I can't believe how lucky I am. It's engrained on me to be considerate with my diet, and I've never looked or felt better as an adult. More importantly, it provided self discipline.

I should also add that most 'smart' devices include parental controls of some sort, yet I would not be surprised if the vast majority of customers couldn't be bothered to use them.

In short; it is not the manufacturers that need to make a difference, it's the customers.

 

[Small White Car]

I find the “restrictions” section of the iOS setting to be a useful tool.

Apparently the majority of Macrumors thinks I’m an idiot and would prefer Apple remove it altogether. Its very existence offends them.

Who knew.

Give me a break.

 

[nwcs]

This is great. I may have to use it in the future.

I just wish I had started years ago

 

[kazmac]

Like so many have said, this falls more on the parents and less on Apple. And, I agree, that social media is more of an addiction than the tech itself.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

If a person cared at all about what they were subjecting their kids to a lifetime of, they wouldn't have them in the first place.

 

[HiRez]

Parents can also help with some of this too. I could have become addicted to TV, Video games, DVDs, and “classic” computers had my parents let me.

HELP with some of it? No, that is SOLELY their responsibility. Apparently parents don't want to take responsibility for raising their kids anymore. If you don't want them using electronic devices then you don't let them, it's pretty simple. But many parents don't know how to—or don't want to—say "no" to their kids.

 

[mwd25]

"the potential long-term consequences of new technologies need to be factored in at the outset, and no company can outsource that responsibility to an app designer, or more accurately to hundreds of app designers."

And no parent can outsource their responsibility for parenting their child to a corporation. Good lord, kids are distracted and or addicted to their phones in class???? No phones are allowed in class!!!! Its very simple, you have your phone out, it gets confiscated and you can pick it up at the principles office at the end of the day. Done. Problem solved. Once again its Apples job to raise our kids, or keep people from texting while driving or anything else that absolves people of personal responsibility. GO AWAY.

 

[danielwsmithee]

Tech-addiction, ADHD... Aka sh*t parenting.

Each morning that I arrive at school, there are children with panda eyes who won't stop yawning throughout the day. Who are fidgety, easily distracted and unable to engage with the lesson. All they think about is when they get their next fix on a tablet or games console/PC - and console themselves by discussing the games and exchanging friend codes during independent learning.

Yet, staff get the blame for poor results from area managers and parents (The former may inspect once in a school year).

This is an interesting perspective and doesn't match all the experience we are having with our kids. We have always been very strict with our children's screen time. Our kids get one full length feature movie per weak as a family (usually a friday night) and 1-2 hours of game time on a WII or iPad per weak. That is it. Some of our kids are perfectly happy with this. Others act like we are torturing them by being cruel.

Where we have struggled is the amount of screen time the schools give them. Our elementary school gives them 1-2 hours of either iPad or ChromeBook time per day. Typically playing educational games, but they are still games, as they get older they transition to projects like PowerPoint presentation and such.

Then starting in 6th grade all students are given an iPad by the school district. The worst thing is the school district doesn't give the parents any administrative controls on the iPad, the student are allowed to install whatever has been approved by the School District which is still loaded with "educational" games. You can't confiscate the iPad because than they won't be able to complete their homework, but you also can't ensure that they can only use the Apps they need to complete their homework.

It is like if our parents had to sit us down to do homework each day, but had to put is in front of a TV and hand us the remote. It is a no win situation for both the parents and the kids.

Parents today are faced with a double standard of what science is saying is best for kids and what the school districts implement which is often two very different things.

 

[dampfnudel]

Or....parents can parent.

That’s a lot easier said than done. I’m not a parent, but I have seen enough to know that trying to curb your teen’s smartphone usage is akin to playing with fire these days. People who speak easily about this are most likely not parents themselves, were lucky to have raised their children to adulthood when smartphones didn’t exist or won the good, responsible child lottery. Good parenting is only one part of the equation. Outside influences can easily overwhelm a parent’s influence these days, backed by powerful companies trying their damn best to pimp out your kids and in many cases, you too.

 

[mwd25]

Kaibelf said:
This is a TOTAL cop out. If you were adult enough to have intercourse and bear children, you're adult enough to set boundaries, period. It's NOT hard to turn off a television, tell your kids to go out and play, and actually say NO to things. It's also VERY possible to say "no, you can't play with that kid."

Outmaneuvered by advertising? What does that even mean? Do the kids suddenly have credit cards? If you want to win that "struggle" perhaps the best course of action is to start being kids' parents, and stop trying to be their friends, and that starts with saying "I don't care if you're angry, I'm NOT spending MY money on this."

Also, "clever children" can't replace TouchID unless mommy is passed out drunk or on valium on the sofa.

Obviously you didn’t read my whole message. In any case, I have taken a policy that I don’t respond to people who reply in such a way any longer. Life is too short to suffer blowhards who are only comfortable in their hyper aggressive, self-assured manner that assumes they are the only source of actual truth or opinion. Blocking you, thanks.

Except you just did respond. What you actually meant to say is...... I respond very sarcastically to people who make valid points I cant refute, then after my snarky response, that I claim Im above doing......I block them. Ok, block away.....you win.

 

[deferredAnon]

Something is fishy about this letter. I would think investors would be happy with people being addicted to their investments. This is like a letter written by casinos to the Gaming Commission to stop people from coming to their casinos, to stop their gambling addiction, even though this is how casinos make money. Rolling Eyes.

I am guessing this letter was written for any one or all of the following reasons:

1) Distract from 'Batterygate'.
2) Alert other investors that people especially kids are being addicted to products, which can translate to those individuals being addicted to using and purchasing these products for a long time.
3) In reference to #2, letter could be looked at being compounded to Apple's sales report released in three weeks.
4) [Insert another money making scheme here]

 

[albusseverus]

Most adults can't control their usage, how can they teach their children?
Allowing phones in classrooms also seems absurd, but school is more childminding than education now. If they had enough computers, phones could be banned.
This is just as much a workplace issue as a school issue.
Social apps spend more on making the experience addictive than the service the app provides, so the problem is definitely addiction, which points to social and economic conditions and the mental state of society. Government and other corporations use social app addiction to pacify all ages, which comes back to…

self responsibility and having better things to do than the addictive behaviours, no matter what your problems.

Can Apple do anything about this? It's health and Cook is all about health, so he could throw a couple of billion into mental health and addiction and come up with something more creative than parental controls. I'm a fan of the Breathe app. I never want to do the exercise, but I make the time to do it - like everything else in life.

As long as we're treating the cause, not the symptom - go for it Tim! Social addiction is the biggest problem of our time. Might as well use technology to tackle it. Like texting while driving - it can wait!

 

[BGordon45]

YES please!!!!

 

[techwhiz]

My solution is simple.
My kids don't have access.
No smart phones. Pay As You Go are all that's needed. All they need is an emergency phone before they are old enough to understand responsible usage. Limited time with tablets that I control. I can just take them away.

How about parents be, wait for it,..... PARENTS!!!!