Safer Internet Day, which is celebrated annually on February 7th, is a crucial reminder of the need to prioritize the online safety and privacy of children. With the digitalization of education and the widespread availability of smartphones, tablets, and computers, children as young as 3 years old are now exposed to the online world. This makes it imperative for parents, guardians, and teachers to be proactive in monitoring and managing their children’s screen time to protect them from the dangers that come with being online such as predators, bullying, social media pressures, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
To support parents, teachers, and guardians in their efforts to keep their children safe and secure online, Apple has created several tools and resources that can be found in iOS 16. These include the improved Family Sharing feature, which allows for the implementation of parental controls, the Family Checklist, which offers tips and reminders for updating a child’s settings, and the Screen Time feature, which provides weekly reports on a child’s activity and allows for setting limits on time spent on the device and apps. Additionally, there’s the Downtime feature, which blocks apps and notifications during specific hours of the day, and the Communication Limits, which give parents the ability to select who their children can communicate with.
The Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time can also be used as parental controls to limit or block access to specific apps and features, such as restricting settings for explicit content, purchases, downloads, and more. In the App Store, parents can set restrictions such as downloading age-appropriate apps and requiring approval from a parent or guardian for purchases and downloads through the Ask to Buy feature. The Made for Kids section of the App Store requires all apps to protect children’s data and prevent age-inappropriate advertising. Communication Safety for the Messages app is also available to protect children from receiving or sending explicit content like nude pictures.
You can read about the features in detail on the company’s dedicated page for families. The company’s director of User Privacy, Erik Neuenschwander said:
“At Apple, our goal is to provide people with technology that not only improves and enriches their lives, but also helps them stay safe online. We’re proud to be an official supporter of Safer Internet Day in Europe — and we’ll keep innovating every day to empower people to protect their families online”
For those who are interested in learning more about these features and how to better manage children’s devices and protect their online safety, Apple offers the “Your Kids and Their Devices” class for free online in 500 locations worldwide. The class focuses on educating adults about the latest features on the iPhone and iPad, including Family Sharing, Screen Time, App Limits, and more.
Will Gardner, the director of the UK Safer Internet Centre’s said:
“Safer Internet Day provides the best opportunity in the year to promote safe and responsible use of technology. The success of the day lies in the huge collaboration that takes place, with thousands of organizations getting involved to promote key messages and provide information and resources. The support of companies like Apple is important for this, as resources like its online hub for families help to provide information and tools to support the safety of children and young people online”
Educators can also participate in tailored sessions designed specifically for members of the Apple Education Community, to gain useful insights into how they can protect and educate their students on internet safety.