Latest news with #parentalcontrols
The Verge
6 hours ago
- General
- The Verge
It's 1PM. Do you know where your children are scrolling?
Adi Robertson Maybe, argues longtime internet law scholar Danielle Citron, sometimes you shouldn't. We've got a slow holiday Thursday here at The Verge, so it's time for me to finally read this paper from early June about alternatives to the 'parental control model' of children's privacy online — a topic that's not going away any time soon. The parental control model is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is an empowering façade that leaves parents unable to protect children and undermines the intimate privacy that youth need to thrive. It is bad for parents, children, and parent-child relationships. And it is bad for the pursuit of equality.
Gulf Business
11 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Apple's latest online safety tools: What parents need to know
Apple is expanding its suite of parental controls and privacy features to offer families new tools for managing children's digital experiences across its platforms. The company announced updates on June 11, aimed at helping parents protect kids and teens online, part of its upcoming software releases including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26. Read- The features, many of which were previously previewed, are designed to support age-appropriate usage from the moment a child sets up their device—without compromising privacy or security. These enhancements build on existing features such as Screen Time and App Store age controls, reinforcing Apple's commitment to a safer and more private digital environment for young users, Image credit: Apple/Website Simplifying child account setup Apple has long supported Child Accounts—Apple IDs designed for children under 13 and available for users up to age 18 when managed by a parent or guardian within a Family Sharing group. With the latest updates, the setup process for Child Accounts has been streamlined. Parents can now defer parts of the setup process while ensuring that age-appropriate settings are automatically enabled from the start. These features are already available on iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4. Additionally, Apple is making it easier for parents to confirm the age associated with their child's account. If the child is under 13, the system prompts parents to connect the account to their Family Sharing group. Once verified, the account is converted into a Child Account, unlocking Apple's full suite of parental control tools with default safety settings already in place. New age range sharing with apps A major privacy-forward update allows parents to share only their child's age range—not full birthdates—with apps, enabling developers to tailor experiences without collecting sensitive data. Using Apple's new Declared Age Range API, developers can request access to a user's age range in order to offer age-appropriate experiences. Parents can control how this information is shared: always, per request, or never. By default, children cannot alter these settings, but parents can grant them the ability to do so via Content & Privacy Restrictions. Apple emphasizes that this approach allows apps like weather or sports apps to function for children without requiring developers to gather unnecessary personal data, helping protect kids' identities while still enabling relevant functionality. Extending protections to teens Until now, Apple required that children under 13 use Child Accounts, which automatically include safety features like web content filters and app restrictions. With the upcoming OS updates, similar protections will also be applied automatically to users aged 13 to 17, regardless of their account type. These protections include Communication Safety features and web filters, all powered by enhanced age categorisation in the App Store. These changes ensure that teens receive more consistent protections, even if their Apple Account was set up independently of Family Sharing. Granular age ratings coming to App Store Apple is also refining its App Store age rating system. While developers have long self-assigned age ratings for apps, a more detailed system is being introduced by year's end. The revised framework includes five categories, adding three new distinctions for adolescents: 13+, 16+, and 18+. This change gives users and parents clearer insight into app appropriateness and allows developers to fine-tune how their apps are rated for various age groups. The new system will also integrate tightly with parental control settings such as Ask to Buy and Screen Time. Communication limits expanded with PermissionKit Apple's existing Communication Limits feature, which manages how and when kids can communicate via Phone, FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud, is being expanded to give parents more oversight. With the upcoming update, children will need to send a request to their parent before initiating contact with a new phone number. Parents can approve or deny these requests directly within Messages. In addition, Apple is introducing a new PermissionKit framework for developers. This allows kids to request parental approval to initiate chats, follows, or friend requests inside third-party apps. When implemented by developers, the framework offers another layer of control and safety for online interactions. App Store updates for transparency and control Apple is enhancing App Store transparency by updating product pages to show whether an app contains user-generated content, messaging capabilities, or in-app advertisements. It will also indicate whether the app includes built-in parental controls or age-assurance features. When content restrictions are in place, apps that exceed a child's allowed age range will no longer appear in areas like the Today tab, Games, or editorial content, minimizing exposure to inappropriate content. The Ask to Buy feature is also gaining flexibility. Parents can now approve one-time exceptions for apps that exceed a child's set age range, and just as easily revoke access through Screen Time if needed. Communication safety now extends to FaceTime and Photos Building on its existing Communication Safety tools, which warn children when sending or receiving explicit content, Apple is adding new capabilities: FaceTime calls: The system will now intervene if nudity is detected during a video call. Shared Albums in Photos: Nudity in shared images will be automatically blurred, and children will be warned before viewing. These additions further Apple's mission to prevent unwanted exposure to explicit content while maintaining user privacy and device control. Enhanced tools for parents and developers The new updates are backed by a robust ecosystem of tools Apple already offers to safeguard children: Screen Time & Ask to Buy : Allow parents to manage screen usage and approve purchases. Find My : Helps locate family members. Made for Kids section : A curated set of age-appropriate apps held to Apple's highest privacy standards. Limits on Apple Ads : Blocks ads for children under 13 and restricts personalized ads for teens. No ad tracking : Developers cannot track or request tracking of child user behavior. In addition, developers have access to several powerful frameworks: ScreenTime Framework : Enables supervision of a child's app usage. Device Activity & Family Controls APIs : Help customize parental control experiences. SensitiveContentAnalysis : Identifies and blurs sensitive imagery in apps. Media Ratings : Allow developers to incorporate parents' film/TV restrictions. Looking ahead With the launch of iOS 26 and its accompanying OS updates this fall, Apple is aiming to deliver a safer, more controlled digital experience for families—without compromising its strict privacy standards. By giving parents smarter tools and giving developers better ways to engage responsibly with young users, the tech giant continues to position itself as a leader in digital wellbeing.
The Verge
11-06-2025
- The Verge
Apple's updated parental controls will require kids to get permission to text new numbers
Apple is introducing a suite of updated child safety features, including one that will give parents more control over who their kids can communicate with. The features are set to arrive with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26, which will launch this fall. Children will now be required to get parental approval when they want to communicate with a new phone number. Requests will appear in the Messages app, and parents can tap a button to approve or decline. Apple is also launching a 'PermissionKit' that will let developers fold a similar feature into their apps so that kids can 'send requests to their parents to chat, follow, or friend users.' The company's parental controls automatically enforce protections such as web content filters and app restrictions for kids under 13, and Apple will enable 'similar age-appropriate protections' for kids between the ages of 13 and 17. Apple's Communication Safety tool is being updated to 'intervene' when it detects nudity in FaceTime calls and to blur nudity in shared albums in the Photos app, the company says. App Store age ratings will also expand to include more granular categories, including 13 plus, 16 plus, and 18 plus. Additionally, Apple will let parents share a child's age range with apps, the company says, without disclosing their specific date of birth. Developers can request age range information with a new 'Declared Age Range API.' Companies like Meta, Snap, and X and a coalition of adult content companies have advocated for legislation that would require app store operators to verify their users' age, a requirement that Apple has pushed back on over privacy concerns. Utah and Texas have already passed app store age verification bills.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Top 10 top tips for parents to keep their kids safe online when playing Fortnite this half-term
WITH half-term fast approaching, parents across the country will be fretting over keeping the kids entertained. As much as we'd all love to pretend that our darling angels will be outside in the garden from dawn till dusk, we know the reality is a little different. 15 Despite our best intentions, it's not long before they are reaching for the gaming controller to fire up the console (PlayStation 5 in our household, sorry Xbox fans). And we let them - because it's only human to want a little break from all the chaos. And with 650 million registered players on the video game Fortnite, chances are your kids are playing it too. 15 So it's vital for parents to understand the game and the parental controls that come with it. Yes, you really do have the power to limit their fancy flossing and Mythic machine gun looting. 15 Here, Epic Games - who created Fortnite - offers 10 top tips for parents so their kids can 'ready up' for Fortnite safely. KNOW YOUR GAME Fortnite is a hub which offers more than 190,000 different gaming experiences, from Battle Royale - where players fight it out to be the last one standing - to Rocket Racing, a neon-crazy car racer. All experiences have a PEGI age rating from 3+ to 12. So make sure your kid is playing an appropriate mode. 15 CABINED ACCOUNTS If your child is under 13 - below the legal age of digital consent in the UK - they will be placed in a Cabined Account. This is designed to create a safe and inclusive space for younger players. Gamers in a Cabined Account will have restricted access to certain Fortnite features, like voice or text chat until a parent provides consent. This can be done via an alert to an adult's email or by entering a pin code. 15 CUSTOMISE CONTROL Social permissions allow you to manage who your child talks to on Fortnite. Friends Only means they can only chat with pals who have had a friend request accepted. Friends & Teammates extends this to anyone in their squad (on your kid's team) and Everybody means your child can talk to anyone on the game. Or you can disable voice and text chat entirely. You can also adjust any mature language filters too. 15 TIME LIMITS This is a brilliant way to ensure the kids aren't spending all day on Fortnite. Set a window of gaming which kicks them off after a certain period - and allows you to kick them out into the garden. It repeats daily so you only have to do it once. There's also a summary of the total time spent on the game each week in the Time Reports tab of Parental Controls. This can be a reality check and decent nudge to introduce time limits. It's a great way to manage screen time. 15 WHO'S WHO One of the biggest worries for parents is knowing who their child is communicating with online. This fear is easily conquered by setting up a parental pin. This has to be inputted to accept every friend request received. This way you can check with your kid to make sure that SillyGoat2018 is actually annoying little Johnny next door - and not a complete stranger. 15 SPEND WISELY Purchasing permissions within Fortnite are a useful way of budgeting those highly-prized V-Bucks, an in-game virtual currency that can buy extras like skins (outfits), emotes (special dances) and gaming bundles - I mean, who doesn't want to play as the Giant Chicken. Parents can set purchasing permissions to approve any real-money buys using Epic Games payment. 15 FRIENDS AND ENEMIES Make sure your child is aware of over-friendly offers while playing Fortnite. In fact, this is a big red flag for any online game - FC (aka FIFA), Call of Duty etc. If you're not sure who's in your child's gaming party/lobby, find out. 15 If another player is offering gifts of V-bucks or other items, make sure your child knows who it is. It's an innocent and easy mistake for them to make - befriending someone who has showered them with gifts, only to find out it's a phisher or scammer. Cut out the risk with pin-request befriending - drop those unwanted nasties like a Legendary Sniper Rifle headshot. GET INVOLVED Fortnite isn't just for little kids, it's for big ones as well. There are plenty of split-screen modes which you can play along with your child like LEGO Fortnite Odyssey or jam along Guitar Hero-style on the Fortnite Festival music stage. It helps to dispel the myth that Fortnite is 'The Devil' and really bad for children. It helps to calm any fears you might have had of what content they are being exposed to (see, Peely the giant yellow banana isn't that bad after all!). 15 TOP OF THE BOTS You can choose whether your child can interact with AI features in the game. This includes talking to non-playable characters (NPCs), like Darth Vader in the latest Battle Royale season. Gamers can have an interactive chat where the NPC responds. You can switch this off in the Parental Controls section - just find the 'Allow voice and written communication with AI Features' setting and turn it off. GET SET UP You don't need to be a gaming god or YouTuber to set up these parental controls. Head to and sign in to your child's Epic Games account. Or simply access Parental Controls directly in Fortnite - just click on the account icon in the top right corner. 15
