How NOT To Sync Podcasts Across Devices - Advice Please

The best way for two users to share one Mac is to set up a separate OS X user account for each user. And that's for general usage, not just for iTunes. You can be an Admin user, who needs to give permission to make system level changes (such as installing new apps and changing network settings). Your son can be a Standard user. When logged in to the respective user accounts, it's like a different Mac for each user. That includes things like Mail and Calendar, AND a separate iTunes library in each user account.

Setting up a new user account is done in System Preferences Users & Groups pane. If you enable Fast User Switching, both users can be logged in at the same time. When you and your son switch between user accounts (password still required), both users are logged in, so an ongoing process (like a large download) can continue in one user account while the other user account is being used.

Family Sharing can be used, if desired, to share iTunes Store purchases between family members who have their own Apple ID. I'm not familiar with the issue you mentioned.

Since the iTunes library is separate for each user, there will be no problem with the play count of podcasts and other conflicts.

Niall Mallyon wrote:

Thanks for the information but this solution simply isn't feasible for me. I have a 15000+ track iTunes library that I want to share and won't be able to do this by separating the IDs.

Yes, it is very simple.

You can each have your own iTunes account, your own computer login and use the same iTunes library and same tracks.

1. Quit iTunes.
2. Move your entire /Music/iTunes/ folder to /Users/Shared/.
3. Hold Option and launch iTunes.
4. Select Choose library...
5. Select the iTunes folder in /Users/Shared/.
6. You are now using the library.
7. Quit iTunes.

now

1. Create a new computer user account for your son.
2. Hold Option and launch iTunes.
3. Select Choose library... and select the iTunes folder in /Users/Shared/.

That's it.

Just quit iTunes when switching users as you cannot have the same iTunes library file open with multiple users.

Both phones share the same iTunes store account

This is likely the culprit.

iTunes knows the difference between devices but since iTunes thinks they are both yours, it syncs this data.

As far as in-app purchases, this isn't a problem.

He can still load apps (and in-app purchases) purchased with your account onto his iPhone using iTunes.

I don't have family sharing set up but simply use three different iTunes accounts (using the same iTunes library).