Parental Controls Not Functioning Properly on Some Apple Devices; Top-5 Worry-Free, Kid-Friendly Streaming Services
If you’re a user of Apple’s cloud-based Family Sharing system, you’re going to want to check your Screen Time settings. An exclusive report from the Wall Street Journal is giving insight into difficulties that Apple users are having with their Screen Time settings currently.
The issue is that settings established by parents to restrict things like viewing time, time spent on specific apps, or which contacts can reach kids on their devices through the Screen Time menu are simply shutting off at random. Worse yet, parents are not being notified that the guardrails have been removed, which means that unless their child tells them, or they go looking, the errors are going undetected.
“We are aware that some users may be experiencing an issue where Screen Time settings are unexpectedly reset,” an Apple spokesperson said. “We take these reports very seriously and we have been, and will continue, making updates to improve the situation.”
The company hoped the issue had been resolved when it released iOS version 16.5, but users are still noting the issue in the public beta tests of iOS 17, which are currently underway. Also available for public beta testing is tvOS17, which plans to introduce Facetime functionality to Apple TV devices, as well as enhance the ability of customers to utilize Apple's AirPlay feature on some hotel smart TVs.
iOS 17 and tvOS 17 are due to be rolled out to Apple devices this fall, so hopefully it doesn’t take the company much longer to discover the root of its Screen Time issues and resolve them permanently.
Which Streaming Services Offer Robust Protections for Kids and Parents?
If you’re worried about what your kids are watching without your knowledge, check below for The Streamable’s recommendation on five services that will allow you to rest easy, knowing there’s no way for children to access content that’s not appropriate for them.
Disney+ | $7.99 per month for ad-supported streaming, or $10.99 to go ad-free
Family-friendly content is at the heart of what Disney has done for decades, so it should come as no surprise that it’s the No. 1 streamer on this list. Disney has something for all age groups of kids, from toddlers to teens. Parents can set up profiles for kids with their own content ratings restrictions, so they’ll never have to worry if their child is watching a Marvel or Star Wars title that is a little too advanced for them.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
PBS Kids | $4.99 per month for ad-free streaming
This platform houses series like “Daniel Tiger,” “Arthur” and even some episodes of “Sesame Street.” It carries educational and entertaining programming, meaning it’s one of the top services out there for helping kids develop and establish critical skills. There’s nothing objectionable content-wise on the service, and parents can set viewing limits for their kids as well, which will send a notification to the child’s screen when it’s time to stop watching and do something else.
PBS Kids
PBS Kids is a free online streaming platform serving toddlers and preschoolers. All content here is kid-friendly and safe. Children will learn lessons about emotional regulation, creative thinking, and problem-solving, with shows focused on science, reading, and more. Standout shows include “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” “Wild Kratts,” and “Molly of Denali.” It’s a must-have service for anyone with young children.
Netflix | $6.99 per month for ad-supported streaming, or $15.49 for ad-free
Netflix is the world’s largest streaming platform, and has a ton of options for kids to enjoy, from “CoCoMelon” to Universal movies like “Bad Guys” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” Parents can set up individual profiles for kids with their own content rating restrictions and can disable the Autoplay function for any device they choose, which keeps kids from simply binging shows non-stop without parental consent.
Netflix
Netflix is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 3,000+ movies, 2,000+ TV Shows, and Netflix Originals like Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Crown, Tiger King, and Bridgerton. They are constantly adding new shows and movies. Some of their Academy Award-winning exclusives include Roma, Marriage Story, Mank, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Da Vinci | $11.99 per month for ad-free streaming
Da Vinci may be a bit more appropriate for older kids, but that’s only because of the sophisticated nature of the content found on the streamer. The streamer specializes in documentaries, but it offers thousands of hours of programming that encourages kids to develop tools for learning more effectively. Parents can co-view with their kids and set up profiles for children to explore on their own safely.
Da Vinci
Da Vinci is a streaming service for children 7+. It includes 13,000+ hours of award-winning TV shows and documentaries that encourage creativity, social-emotional learning, and curiosity. The app includes 200+ games developed by academics in childhood education and cognitive development.
Noggin | $7.99 per month for ad-free streaming
Noggin may not offer as much in the way of documentary or educational programming, but for beloved kids’ classics like “PAW Patrol,” “Peppa Pig” and “SpongeBob Squarepants” there’s no place better. Noggin offers a parental dashboard to show what kids are watching, allows parents to restrict screen time, and offers a Watch Party function so screen time gets turned into family time.
Noggin
Noggin, owned by Nick Jr., is a VOD app for preschool kids ages 2+. You’ll get access to an expansive library of educational games, eBooks, activities, and exclusive shorts. There are also 1,000+ ad-free full episodes of kid-friendly shows like “PAW Patrol,” “Peppa Pig,” “Bubble Guppies,” and more. Paramount+ does have most of the shows available on Noggin if you’d like a service that also caters to adults.