As lawmakers push for stringent age verification laws that would require digital IDs for using devices and the internet, Big Tech is countering by enhancing parental controls on their platforms. Apple recently announced new child safety features as part of iOS 27, responding to these developments.
Child safety took center stage during the unveiling of iOS 27 at WWDC earlier this year, and now, with the system available on iPhones 11 and newer, parents can activate these features on their children’s devices right away.
Apple’s updated child safety tools focus on parental control and accountability.
To create a child account with these new features, you need to set up a “family” group on your iPhone. Start by opening the Settings app, tapping your iCloud account at the top, and then selecting “Family.” From there, choose “Create Child Account” and enter your child’s name and birth date.
You’ll then be asked to provide either your child’s existing iCloud email or create a new one, along with a password. You can choose to keep this password private or share it with your child.
Finally, you can decide whether you want to be notified on your phone or your child’s if they attempt to sign in on a different device with their Apple account. It’s probably a good idea to set this to alert your phone, just to stay in the loop if your child tries to use another device.
After setting everything up, you’ll have various controls to oversee your child’s account:
- Content Restrictions: Set limits on what your child can access based on their age, affecting apps, shows, and books they can view, and even which websites they can visit—either granting full access or requiring your approval for new sites.
- Communication Safety: This monitors your child’s device for inappropriate content, like violent images or adult themes.
- Communication Limits: Allows you to specify who your child can contact through calls and messages.
- Apps and Website Activity: Provides insight into how much time your child spends on their device and allows you to limit app usage. You can even pause screen time at specific times, like during school hours or when they should be playing outside.
- Screen Distance: Alerts you if your child holds the phone too close to their face, which is a nice touch for eye safety.
- Ask to Buy: Notifies you whenever your child wants to download or purchase an app, song, or movie, so you can approve or deny their requests.
You can also choose to share your child’s location from their phone to yours—a handy feature for keeping track when they are at school or engaged in after-school activities.
Now, your child’s safety settings are customized according to your preferences. You can make adjustments whenever necessary, whether to tighten restrictions or ease them as your child matures.
If you want to modify the settings, just go back to the Settings app, select the “Family” option under your name at the top, pick your child, and adjust the controls as needed.
Apple’s new features in iOS 27 focus heavily on the role of parents in determining what their kids can access, providing significant control without resorting to government intervention.
For Android users, Google is also working on enhancing parental controls. They’ve introduced a new API aimed at delivering “age-appropriate experiences,” though it’s not quite as comprehensive as what Apple has rolled out.
To experience Apple’s new child safety features, simply update to iOS 27 on your device now. Along with these features, you’ll also enjoy enhancements like an upgraded Siri, improved Visual Intelligence, and new alerts in Safari.
