Giving your child an iPhone this holiday season? Check these settings for them.
- Parents are advised to actively manage and regularly review parental control settings on their children's devices.
- Open communication with children about online safety, appropriate usage, and potential risks is crucial.
- Apple devices offer various parental control features, including screen time management, app restrictions, and communication limits.
Next to clothes, gift cards and retro toys, one item is on the rise on wish lists.
About 62% of U.S. children ages 10 to 17 have asked for electronics or tech items, such as smartphones and smartwatches, this holiday season, according to a recent survey from the Entertainment Software Association.
With 71% of parents in the U.S. expected to spend more than $50 on holiday gifts per child this year, according to a Statista report, many kids have probably received what they asked for.
Personal tech devices from Apple are among the most used in the U.S., so if your child is receiving an iPhone this winter or you just want to review, here is what experts recommend parents do when it comes to children and smartphones and the parental settings that are available.
Set it, but don't forget it
When it comes to smartphones and parental settings, don't assume that once options are set, they don't need to be checked regularly, said Ron Kerbs, CEO of cybersecurity company Kidas.
"Don't just assume that it's bulletproof childproof because the tech companies told you," Kerbs said. "It's rarely the case. You do have to set up the parent controls and the limitations with them and show your kids what is expected and what is not expected."
Technology is always evolving, and features change just as quickly, and expectations for how a child reacts or responds to those changes may need to be reevaluated.
For example, younger smartphone users may need to learn how to maintain good boundaries with their device usage and its apps.
"I think the biggest issue with tech is that we basically removed all of the boundaries," Kerbs said."It's always available. You're never bored. Especially when young kids get their devices, and they're not exploring other things because the easiest distraction is taking something out of your pocket and looking at it."
Talk it out
Setting parental controls shouldn't happen in a vacuum. Instead, parents should make it an opportunity to have conversations with their child, reviewing the settings and seeing how it all works together.
It's one of the first pieces of advice he gives to parents about digital devices, Kerbs said. "You can do all of the research in the world, but once you get the tech device, play with your kid."
Kerbs suggests parents and their children discuss risks, what's allowed and what isn't, with whom (and how) children can communicate and rules for using the device.
Some specific settings to check out first on Apple devices
◾ Set up a child account. Parents who also have an Apple device can create a family group and then set up a child account, where parental controls can be accessed and usage can be monitored. Parents can also approve purchases, such as in the App Store, through the controls, by choosing to share a child's location, sharing information with additional family members, and adding another parent or guardian who can help manage the child's settings.
◾ Set up the device. After setting up the child's account, parents can set up the child's device using a Quick Start feature by turning on the new device, placing it near the parent's and following the on-screen instructions to complete the process. The parental controls can be adjusted as needed after setup.
◾ Look over screen time settings. One of the most important settings that Kerbs recommends parents look at first is screen time. Parents can set limits for how long apps can be used individually or by group, and they can monitor usage and receive weekly activity reports. Children can also request more time for an app, either by sending the request to their parent's device or by giving it to a parent to approve with a code. Under Screen Time settings, other parental controls can also be found and set.
◾ Set a downtime. Parents can use downtime to block certain apps or notifications for specific blocks of time, such as making games off-limits at bedtime on weekdays.
◾ Review restrictions. With Restrictions, parents can prevent their kids from installing new apps and making in-app purchases. Parents can set up their kids’ devices to limit adult content or open only websites that the parents select. They can even turn off the Safari web browser and install special web browsers that are designed to display kid-friendly content and nothing else.
- ◾ Review communication safety and limits. Communication limits allow parents to choose which contacts their children can text or call, and any limits on that communication, such as only allowing them to access group chats where they know at least one person and only allowing communication with specific contacts during downtime. The Communication Safety feature, which is on by default for users 13 and younger, monitors messages, photos, and other apps and reportedly can detect sensitive images or videos a child might receive or attempt to send, giving a warning and requiring a passcode to view.