Apple's Screen Time feature has a flaw that lets kids surpass the intended time restrictions set by parents. This bug allows children to extend their screen time on social media and games beyond what their parents had intended.
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The logo of FaceTime (2nd in the second row from top) is pictured on an Iphone screen in Berlin on January 29, 2019. - A newly discovered FaceTime bug lets people hear and even see those they are reaching out to on iPhones using the video calling software, sparking privacy fears.
Acknowledging the Bug
A growing number of parents became suspicious when they no longer received requests from their children for extended usage time on their devices. Upon investigating, they found that the time restrictions they had set were missing from the Downtime screen. Over a thousand posts on the Apple Community website discuss this issue.
Apple's Screen Time feature, designed to help parents set daily time restrictions on their kids' iPhone usage, has a significant bug. As reported by MacRumors, this flaw allows children to bypass the restrictions, leading to extended screen time on social media and gaming applications.
The issue arises when parents attempt to set time limits, but the changes fail to take effect in Screen Time. According to an Apple spokeswoman, the company acknowledges that some users are facing an unexpected problem with their Screen Time settings being reset. Taking these reports seriously, Apple is actively working on updates to resolve the issue effectively.
Similar to this problem and response from Apple, the company experienced this already. Despite the acknowledgment of the bug as "an issue where Screen Time settings may reset or not sync across all devices," it seems that the problem still persists. The company had claimed to fix the issue with the release of iOS 16.5 in May, but the bug remains unresolved.
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Wall Street Journal reported that the reassuring aspect is that Apple is fully aware of this significant problem, which has raised concerns among many parents fearing their kids' screen addiction. Apple's acknowledgment of the bug marks a positive step, and with their open discussion about it, there is hope that a solution will be implemented in the near future.
Introducing Screen Time
Introduced in 2018 with the launch of iOS 12, Screen Time addressed growing worries about smartphone addiction. Phone Arena reported that this feature enables parents to establish content restrictions, control communication channels, and manage app usage on their children's iPhone devices.
Parents can set limits on whom their kids can communicate with through calls, FaceTime, or messages while also regulating the number of hours they can spend using specific apps each day. With Screen Time, Apple aimed to empower parents in fostering a healthier and safer digital environment for their children.
The issue of Screen Time limits not being retained has garnered significant attention within the Apple community. Over 2,300 users on an Apple discussion page reported facing the same problem, with numerous parents also expressing their frustrations in a popular private parenting and tech Facebook group.
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