Apple set to bolster its parental controls
Apple said it plans new features to help parents control how children use its smartphones, responding to criticism from two shareholders about the entrancing qualities and potential mental health impact of the company’s iPhone.
“Apple has always looked out for kids, and we work hard to create powerful products that inspire, entertain, and educate children while also helping parents protect them online,” a spokeswoman said.
IPhones and other Apple devices running the company’s iOS operating system let parents control and restrict what their children consume, including apps, movies, websites, songs and books, as well as cellular data, according to Apple.
“We have new features and enhancements planned for the future to add functionality and make these tools even more robust,” the Apple spokeswoman added.
In a letter to the smartphone maker dated January 6, activist investor Jana Partners and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System urged Apple to create more ways for parents to restrict children’s access to their mobile phones. They also want the company to study the effects of heavy usage on mental health.
“There is a growing body of evidence that, for at least some of the most frequent young users, this may be having unintentional negative consequences,” according to the letter from the investors, who combined own about US$2 billion in Apple shares. The “growing societal unease” is “at some point is likely to impact even Apple”.
Meanwhile prosecutors in France have begun investigating allegations of “planned obsolescence” in iPhones, following Apple’s admission last month that it deliberately slowed older iPhone models via software updates.
The company said the move was because of deteriorating battery performance over time.
French law prohibits intentionally shortening a products lifespan with the intention of making customers buy replacements.