Screen Time Self Approval Bug

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Level 1

4 points

Screen Time Self Approval Bug

after suffering through screen time bugs last year that wouldn't stick I have run into another frustrating one.

my daughter turns imessage off and then requests more time for an app whose time has already expired. the request is delivered to both me and her as a approvable message in sms/text UI and then she is able to simply self approve. at first i couldn't believe it was true but sure enough i watched it happen even after i changed the screen time passcode multiple times.

anyone else experiencing this or know what can be done?

iPhone 14 Pro Max, iOS 17

Posted on Mar 26, 2024 6:27 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

apanloco

Level 1

8 points

Jun 15, 2024 1:30 PM in response to Senorblues80

One hour ago I discovered another bug. The requests don't have an expiry time set.

The story goes like this.

My daughter 14 came clean and told us how she has managed to circumvent the screen time settings. She often sends screen time requests that we don't answer, loads of them. We now know that this has been mainly to fill the message history with requests.

Then another day when she is out of screen time, instead of sending new requests that would get our attention, she has been logging in to one of her parents many devices, either by using a code (phone code, not screen time code), or simply asked to switch songs on Spotify for the living room speakers. Then she has opened Messages history and approved an old (scrolling up) screen-time request. In retrospect we can see many approved-for-the-whole-day TikTok and Snapchat screen time requests, and we otherwise give her at most 15 minutes or 1 hour. A temporary fix is to always deny the requests that you don't approve. But of course Apple needs to fix this by putting an expiry time on the requests. And we need to change passwords on our phones. I hope this helps someone.

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Answer 2

Mar 27, 2024 7:16 AM in response to Senorblues80

Time to contact Apple. Their formal support can be reached several ways:

You can provide feedback to Apple at→ Product Feedback - Apple where your issue or suggestion will be recorded, but you will not get a reply

For personalized support:

Click on “Support” at the top or bottom of this page
Go to Contact Official Apple Support

Note that both of the above have options to receive a callback or chat

Install the Apple Support app on your iPhone or iPad - you can contact support directly from the app, and the tech will have (with your permission) access to diagnostic data on your phone
Call Apple Support; the phone numbers are in this link→Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support
Make a Genius Bar appointment at an Apple Store→Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
Find an Apple store or Apple partner service provider→Find Locations

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Answer 3

Mar 26, 2024 6:32 PM in response to Senorblues80

Are you sharing an Apple ID with her? If so, that gives her the same controls that you have.

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Answer 4

Senorblues80 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2024 4:08 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

good question but no I don't. i manage her screen time as the parent account to her child account. i've been experiencing this since March 14,2024. for a bit the screen time request had been reverted to not coming in the messages for (but working at desired through the app approval flow) then started again in my messages (undesired but a different issue) and then started seeing that the messages were self approved. when i asked her she said she stumbled upon it by mistake and i haven't found any other threads on internet of people who are experiencing same issue. ofc i had a hard time finding other people with the same 'settings not sticking' last year either. i am thinking something changed with apple for the worse on this.

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Screen Time Self Approval Bug

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