Apple ID (under 13) incorrect birthday: I entered the wrong year. Apple care can't edit the birthday. They can't (won't) delete/remove the incorrect id from my family share. HELP

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jen2039 Author

Level 1

37 points

Apple ID (under 13) incorrect birthday: I entered the wrong year. Apple care can't edit the birthday. They can't (won't) delete/remove the incorrect id from my family share. HELP

My daughter saved for two years to buy a mini iPad. When I tried to create an apple id for her, I could not do it online as she is under 13. I had to do it through my phone (icloud/Family share). I accidentally put 2016 as her year for birthday. I can't change the birthday because she is under 13. Apple Care cannot change the birthday. I cannot remove her from my family share because she is under 13. I cannot delete her. The incorrect id thinks she is 1 month instead of 11. I don't have another family share to transfer her to. I called Apple Care 2 weeks ago. Spent 2.5 hours on the phone with them Bumped to floor supervisor and then a ticket was created. Was told it would take 2 days to delete the apple id. I have called back several times and emailed the contact that they gave me. No response other than it was sent to the wrong department. We'll get back to you in 2-3 days. I has been 8 days since then.

I feel the Family Organizer should be able to edit the birthday of a child under 13. Or apple should be able to do it. Family organizer should be able to delete a child under 13 from Family share.

Does anyone have any advice on how to correct this problem. I don't think my daughter is going to be very happy to be on the family share when she is 24 years old. I can't just create a new apple id for her because I will need the spot for my other child.

iPad Mini, iOS 9.2

Posted on Jan 31, 2016 7:16 AM

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Answer 1

Icn05

Level 1

4 points

Oct 19, 2017 5:05 AM in response to Karrar14

Just to provide some up to date info, I mistakenly entered 2017 instead of 2007 for a child account on family sharing.

I was unable to change the date of birth when logging in, so spoke to Apple support. I was called back by a supervisor who gave me the facility to be able to log in and amend the date of birth on the child’s account - which I did while he was on the phone to me.

The whole process was resolved within a few minutes of speaking to the supervisor.

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Answer 2

Dec 27, 2017 9:45 AM in response to Icn05

I had the same problem; entered wrong DoB for under13 account. Contacted AppleCare who enabled editing of the DoB through the appleid website.

So it is possible to correct and does not need the ID to be replaced.

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Answer 3

Feb 1, 2016 8:22 AM in response to jen2039

Since you have the email of the Apple advisor, I would bug them every day. You might also want to ask to have it escalated to a Senior Advisor. I just read up on the double-bind that you have been put in, and I would highly recommend that you also send Feedback to Apple about this situation: Apple - Feedback. They don't respond, but they do read every feedback sent to them.

I did read that the Organizer can disband the family and that the action of disbanding removes all family members. What I don't know is if you re-establish it with your same Apple ID and all of the same Apple IDs for the rest of the family except the problem one, what would happen. Since I don't have any kids, I can't test it (sorry). But it is a thought. If that did work, then you would be able to set up a new ID for your 11 year old that would have the correct birthday.

Here is the support article with the "disbanding" info in case you want to try it:

Leave Family Sharing - Apple Support

The situation of not being able to remove the member, and not being able to change the birth date is untenable in my opinion. I don't get it.....

Best of luck,

GB

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Answer 4

LACAllen

Level 8

43,590 points

Jan 31, 2016 9:58 AM in response to jen2039

Did Apple give you a case #?

Call back and ask to be sent to a Senior Advisor immediately. Quote the ace # and ask for this to be resolved.

Those regulations, while frustrating, are designed to keep children safe.

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Answer 5

jen2039 Author

Level 1

37 points

Jan 31, 2016 11:16 AM in response to LACAllen

They did give me a case number and the floor supervisor sent me his email, and phone number. I waited a week and called back with the number. Was told they were working on it and I would hear back within two days. It has been another week and I have not heard anything. I emailed the floor supervisor and asked about the status and have not received a reply. I will try again tomorrow. Just posted the question to see if anyone on this forum had any advice. Thanks for you reply.

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Answer 6

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,028 points

Jan 31, 2016 11:36 AM in response to jen2039

If the product were purchased direct from official Apple retail Store (not authorized reseller)

or from the official Apple Store website, you may have been miles ahead by returning it then

because they have a limited return policy; you also had a great reason to return or exchange

the device at that point. By now, any window of opportunity there is past; especially if the unit

was not purchased direct from an Apple company store or direct from Apple Store online.

Perhaps the case number can be escalated? Maybe someone could have you take the unit

to an Apple Store where a Genius (or manager) can verify the birth date of the person involved

with a government ID, or other second ID? A young child may not have a picture ID, but should.

Hopefully you can resolve this matter before too long.

Good luck! 🙂

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Answer 7

jen2039 Author

Level 1

37 points

Jan 31, 2016 11:56 AM in response to K Shaffer

Thanks. I appreciate the advice but even returning the mini iPad would not have helped. The issue is with the apple id which would continue to exist even if I returned the mini iPad. Apple cannot change/edit the birthday of any child under the age of 13. (Which I understand is to protect kids. And I acknowledge that my mistake has caused this problem.) The apple id needs to be deleted and can only be done by apple. There are others posting with this problem. I am hoping to find someone who has successfully navigated this issue with apple and can offer me some help. I did talk to the Genius Bar at my local apple. They said Apple Care has to resolve the issue for me. I just can't get anyone to actually do it.

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Answer 8

K Shaffer

Level 8

36,028 points

Jan 31, 2016 12:04 PM in response to jen2039

OK. That angle is understandable and has a purpose.

At least you are going through channels and not just try

to set up a second AppleID account (as an adult may)

and attempt to work around it that way.

The rules are different for adults, & so I see their reasoning. 🙂

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Answer 9

LACAllen

Level 8

43,590 points

Jan 31, 2016 3:24 PM in response to jen2039

OK... will you need more family members going forward?

Why not create a new ID for her using the correct birthday? You will need another email address but that shouldn't be a problem really. Then you will have 2 minors in your family, and one (her "old" ID) becomes just inactive until (or even if) Apple deletes it.

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Answer 10

jen2039 Author

Level 1

37 points

Jan 31, 2016 3:44 PM in response to LACAllen

That would be the solution if I didn't need all 6 Family Share spots or will soon. Right now we are using 5. (My husband, 16 year old child, 14 year old child and now the 11 year old (listed as 1 month) child. We will shortly need the 6th spot for the 4th (final) child so we can't just give the 11 year old 2 spots. I did finally find one question on here with the same issue that someone reported they solved by calling Apple...guess I just need to keep calling them and bugging them. Most people report no success but after finding someone who got an apple id deleted from a family share, I guess there is a ray of hope.

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Answer 11

LACAllen

Level 8

43,590 points

Jan 31, 2016 4:22 PM in response to jen2039

Oh make no mistaker... deleting that ID solves the issue. It's just getting it done, as it's not a commonly "done" thing.

She should be able to use the bad ID now, can't she?

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Answer 12

jen2039 Author

Level 1

37 points

Feb 1, 2016 8:17 AM in response to LACAllen

Getting the iCloud account deleted is definitely more challenging than I expected. When I initially called them, thought this would be a quick fix to edit the birthday based on what they said in the Apple store.

She can't use the account right now. Once they created a ticket number, they told me that she had to be logged out of everything on all devices that uses Apple ID. icloud, iTunes, facetime, messaging etc. They said it would permanently lock the mini iPad if she was logged in when they deleted the account. (Not their exact words but that it would be really bad if she was logged in.) As I said, my daughter is 11 and I thought she might accidentally log into something if she is using the iPad. So we put the iPad on a shelf thinking it would be the couple of days they said until this was resolved. She saved for two years to buy it and it has been over two weeks and she really wants to be using it. When I have called, I can't even get anyone on the phone to talk to me about it using the case number. Just promises that someone will get in touch with me. Found this forum while googling for an answer. Appreciate you trying to help. I'll call again today. Maybe I'll get an answer.

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Answer 13

jen2039 Author

Level 1

37 points

Feb 1, 2016 8:35 AM in response to gail from maine

Thanks Gail. Good thought but I can't disband the Family share because you cannot remove a child under 13 from a Family Share. Since you can't remove them, you can't disband the group. Crazy.

Also a good suggestion about the feedback. The Apple Store also suggested that and I have done so. I was thinking that posting on this forum might also help bring some attention to this issue if anyone from Apple reads it.

I really don't get it either. I would think the Family Organizer would be able to edit birthday or at least remove the child from the Family Share.

I'll keep emailing the Apple advisor. He is a senior advisor and did spend a lot of time on it on the instal phone call. Just no success and no follow up to my phone calls or email so far.

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Answer 14

Feb 1, 2016 9:24 AM in response to jen2039

So, on a device where you as the Family Organizer tried to go to Settings>iCloud>Family, then tapped your name as Organizer, the "Stop Family Sharing" option did not go from gray to blue to allow you to stop it? Did it give you an error? Because the instructions imply that the process itself removes the members, not you. What a nightmare...... 😟

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 15

LACAllen

Level 8

43,590 points

Feb 1, 2016 10:50 AM in response to jen2039

Strictly for context... I am not attempting to defend Apple's practices re: IDs for under 13.

Here are some relevant reasons why this is complicated/challenging/maddening.

So Apple is wanting to comply with COPPA.

http://www.coppa.org/comply.htm

This passage from COPPA would likely explain why Apple uses a credit card "check" while you are setting up your child's account. This proves "who" is setting up the account for the child.

Using your case number, I would suggest you call and when an advisor answers, ask for Customer Relations and quote the case number. They should escalate you to a level that will act on your behalf to resolve the issue faster than perhaps following up with your contact. Explain fully what you've "done" so far.

Good luck.

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