Apple responds to investor criticism over heavy smartphone use by children, says parental ...
Responding to recent criticism over the potential negative impact smartphone use might have on children, Apple on Monday said it has long provided device owners, specifically parents, with a number of controls and built-in protections to safeguard young users.
Apple in a statement issued late Monday said it has been integrating content and system management controls into iOS in 2008, reports The Wall Street Journal. The company is likely referring to the second generation of iPhone OS, which delivered an App Store and other advanced functions to iPhone and iPod touch users.
Aside from backend safeguards like stringent iTunes content policies and strong security protocols, Apple pointed to customizable parental options available in the Settings app that govern content, app usage, app downloads, system access and more.
"We think deeply about how our products are used and the impact they have on users and the people around them," Apple said. "We take this responsibility very seriously and we are committed to meeting and exceeding our customers expectations, especially when it comes to protecting kids."
The company said it is "constantly looking" for ways to improve its devices and noted future iOS revisions will make its parental restriction toolset "even more robust," according to the report.
Though it did not directly address it, Apple's statement is thought to be in response to an open letter penned by two prominent investors, Jana Partners and the California State Teachers' Retirement System. Published on Sunday, the letter suggests there is a "growing body of evidence" that smartphones "may be having unintentional negative consequences" on youth with more intense usage habits.
The shareholders propose Apple develop more effective controls that would allow parents to set age restrictions, limit screen time, prohibit access to certain social media services and monitor overall device use. The company was also asked to provide assistance in studying the impact smartphones have on mental health. Another suggestion involves tasking an executive with monitoring the issue and producing annual progress reports.
Apple in a statement issued late Monday said it has been integrating content and system management controls into iOS in 2008, reports The Wall Street Journal. The company is likely referring to the second generation of iPhone OS, which delivered an App Store and other advanced functions to iPhone and iPod touch users.
Aside from backend safeguards like stringent iTunes content policies and strong security protocols, Apple pointed to customizable parental options available in the Settings app that govern content, app usage, app downloads, system access and more.
"We think deeply about how our products are used and the impact they have on users and the people around them," Apple said. "We take this responsibility very seriously and we are committed to meeting and exceeding our customers expectations, especially when it comes to protecting kids."
The company said it is "constantly looking" for ways to improve its devices and noted future iOS revisions will make its parental restriction toolset "even more robust," according to the report.
Though it did not directly address it, Apple's statement is thought to be in response to an open letter penned by two prominent investors, Jana Partners and the California State Teachers' Retirement System. Published on Sunday, the letter suggests there is a "growing body of evidence" that smartphones "may be having unintentional negative consequences" on youth with more intense usage habits.
The shareholders propose Apple develop more effective controls that would allow parents to set age restrictions, limit screen time, prohibit access to certain social media services and monitor overall device use. The company was also asked to provide assistance in studying the impact smartphones have on mental health. Another suggestion involves tasking an executive with monitoring the issue and producing annual progress reports.
Comments
In my experiance when a friend or an acquaintance rants and naggs about something... it is usually their ignorance of the issue on hand or their refusal to take time to study and learn something! And not a problem with the product or the issue at hand.
Apple Configurator 2 on the Mac App Store - iTunes - Apple
microsoft have much much better stuff where you can specify when and how long as well and good email chatter for you to track and overuse and covers pc and Xbox...
actually apple have sone better stuff but they only give it to schoools !!!
i used to play w sardines cans as truck toy cause thats all we got....
Apple should definitely come up with parental controls that encompass all of its devices and allow parents to administer controls from one web-based portal. Additionally, content filtering should be an option. Maybe all children’s internet activity should be proxied via the Apple’s servers that carry out filtering. Maybe the filtering rules should be pushed to end devices. Either way, there should be a way to restrict where kids can go on the web if Apple’s devices are used.
You won’t get this if you are still living in your parents’ basement, so don’t bother to respond. Get back to me when your kids start reaching the age of Internet use if Apple hasn’t developed content filtering tools by then.
Apparently this adults forgot what they used to do as kids before iPhones are around. I remembered playing outside, using my imagination, drawing, etc... Now, you use an iPhone as a babysitter, and blame Apple for it.
When did personal responsibility stop being ours, and belong to someone else?
Yes, smartphone use is out of control in K-12 schools but instead of complaining about Apple I suggest you look in the mirror and see where the real problem lies. As for those of you who are responsible, keep it up.
Everything social is via social media enabled by smartphones. Not having a phone is a negative for middle schoolers and a serious social handicap for high school kids.
/shrug
i use screentime which works really well on android and abysmally on iOS because Apple support for this sort of thing sucks. I can disable apps during the school day or at night and still allow kids to message, call and other basic activities. I can track websites and app usage patterns.
i can block problematic apps, add additional time, pause all phone activity, and reward good behavior because it provides fine grain control over the user experience and it works really really well.
but not on iOS. So the carrot and stick approach here is if you get good grades and don’t piss me off I get you an iPhone. Get C’s or play on your phone too much and it’s an Android for you.
but feel free to continue to be sanctimonious asshats and judge people on things you clearly have no fucking clue about.
Many issues. Also I believe many of the suggestions listed in this thead should by now be built in to iOS.