January 24, 2025, 8:51 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Apple’s parental control function has been heavily criticized. An investigation by Stiftung Warentest in collaboration with Südwestrundfunk (SWR) shows serious weaknesses that allow children to access unsuitable content. Despite active protective measures, they can circumvent time limits or access disturbing content. Experts and politicians are calling for consequences.
Following December 2024 reports of inadequate parental controls in Apple’s App Store, the company’s child safety features are now under scrutiny. Apple’s parental controls, which are supposed to help parents control screen time and content, are anything but reliable. This is according to new studies by Stiftung Warentest and SWR. Experts indicate that children can employ simple tricks to bypass protection mechanisms, gaining access to disturbing videos and prolonged usage times. Despite longstanding criticism, Apple has yet to introduce sustainable solutions.
Overview
Study Reveals Serious Weaknesses
Stiftung Warentest and Südwestrundfunk tested the parental control functions on Apple devices with the current iOS versions 18.2 and 18.2.1. The tests revealed significant weaknesses. Children were able to access content such as horror videos, explicit music, and disturbing accident footage, even though parents had set up appropriate filters. Particularly problematic is the ‘Assisted Access’ feature. This enables children to circumvent established time limits and use apps beyond the allowed duration.
These weaknesses are by no means new, but have been known for years, the experts report. There are numerous videos on YouTube with instructions on how children can trick Apple’s protective measures. The persistence of these vulnerabilities, despite widespread criticism, raises questions regarding Apple’s priorities.
Experts and Politicians Criticize Apple’s Child Protection
IT security expert Sascha Zinke expressed to SWR his suspicion that economic considerations might be hindering the resolution of these vulnerabilities. “It’s not a question of software developers not being able to program a child protection function better or close loopholes. The question is: What is the business model behind it? And if child protection is not at the top of the priority list, such gaps will not be closed in the long term,” says Zinke.
Neurobiologist Martin Korte, who has been studying the psychological consequences of digital media consumption at TU Braunschweig for several years, also warns of the consequences of a lack of protection. “The young brain needs special protection, as addictive behavior easily becomes ingrained, especially at a young age,” says Korte. Politicians such as Katarina Barley, Vice-President of the European Parliament, emphasize that Apple is obliged by the Digital Services Act to offer effective protective measures. Violations can result in severe penalties.
Apple Must Improve Child Protection
The experts presented their findings to Apple, which responded with only vague answers. TECHBOOK has also received a statement in which the company comments on the matter. In it, Apple emphasizes that it takes reports of problems in connection with “Screen Time” very seriously and has made continuous improvements to offer users the best possible experience. “Our work is not finished, and we will continue to make updates.”
Apple states that the ‘Screen Time’ feature currently does not support the ‘Assisted Access’ feature. In addition, in order to start the latter on a child’s device, the Screen Time password must be entered. Nevertheless, the experts are unable to fully confirm these claims and have refuted some of them through testing. “In our tests, we certainly found restrictions from ‘Screen Time’ that are also effective in supportive access,” writes Stiftung Warentest. Apple has informed TECHBOOK that it intends to investigate these reports.
Experts are urging for increased commitment to enhance child protection and provide parents with dependable support. Political and social demands are also putting Apple under increasing pressure. However, it remains uncertain whether and when the company will rectify the weaknesses in its child protection function.
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What Parents Can Do
Although the weaknesses of Apple’s functions are considerable, experts advise parents to make use of the available protection options. The following measures can help parents:
Customize “Assisted Access:”
Set up “assisted access” mode on your child’s device yourself. Only allow apps there that you consider suitable and secure the mode with a code. It is important that your child only has access to the device in this mode. This is because they can change settings in normal mode.
Check App Installation:
Make sure that your child cannot install any apps themselves or only those that have an appropriate age rating. This setting is defined on your device and transferred to the child’s device. However, as a precaution, you should check the apps separately for their suitability, as the protection of minors in the App Store also leaves a lot to be desired.
Set Limits:
Use the “Screen time” function to block certain apps or set daily usage limits. You can also set age restrictions for films, music, and other content.
Deactivate In-App Purchases:
Under “Screen Time > Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases,” you can disable in-app purchases completely or protect them with a password that only you know.
Customize Settings and Test Functionality:
Familiarize yourself with all sub-items of the “Screen Time” function, such as communication limits, and adjust them accordingly. Then, check whether the settings you have made work as desired before you give the device to your child.