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"Parent permissions" is how they get around that one for underage kids. It's either a notification through the parent portal or you login with the Google accoun

"Parent permissions" is how they get around that one for underage kids. It's either a notification through the parent portal or you login with the Google account on the kids tablet. Not sure of the mechanism on iOS, but I imagine it's similar. Once you give permission, it's free reign

theshrike79 4y ago
Nope, not even parent permission. It's used as one factor to prove that they are not "marketing to children". If you are considered as targeting your product to children, you get hit by a different set of laws than if it's an "adult" product. Source: I just spent a few hours listening to our lawyer give a presentation about this and why we need to be clear in marketing to adults only. Epic got hit with a $245M fine because they were seen as marketing to kids (along with other crap): https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/12/245-million-ftc-settlement-alleges-fortnite-owner-epic-games-used-digital-dark-patterns-charge https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/12/245-milli...
- passwordoops 4y ago
  There's marketing and then there's using. Obviously they do restrict certain apps like Tinder and PH, but it's only those that are exclusively 18-over (and Epic since the fine). Other apps like FB, TikTok, XBox and the rest that no child should go near (or anyone else for that matter) gives a prompt with something along the lines of "Ask your parents for permission". If I say OK, either from my account or by logging in on hers, the app is installed and can be used, even though her profile is under 13. They don't market to kids, but it's still available and still shows up in search. It would be great if these legal actions do show real restriction for all apps that are rated 13-over, but then no more tablets for kids. That's going to cost manufacturers and ad-driven apps a ton of money so I don't see it happening outside of the FCC going directly after Apple and Google. Source: I have a kid with an age-restricted tablet and just tested
  - TeMPOraL 4y ago
    To be clear: all of this happens when the device is set up by the parent to mark it explicitly as kids' device? I've never seen such things before. When I was a kid, knowing what year to put in a DOB form to put yourself safely over 18 y.o. was the most basic "Internet 101" life skill, second only to knowing where to type a website address.
    - passwordoops 4y ago
      On Android they have something called Family Link where you link a device and mark it explicitly as a kid's device to set restrictions like time usage, banned apps, etc. The only way to change settings is through the parent account. And yes she ran some very clever social engineering to try to get in. Almost got me once - my wife left her phone unlocked so my kid opened WA and wrote me a message asking to lift the time restriction for the rest of the day. Her mistake was sending an extra "thank you so much" with heart emoji, which I though was off. If not for that misstep she would have got me. Obviously she was rewarded and we listened to one of the Darknet Diaries episodes on social engineering

theshrike79 4y ago

Nope, not even parent permission. It's used as one factor to prove that they are not "marketing to children". If you are considered as targeting your product to children, you get hit by a different set of laws than if it's an "adult" product. Source: I just spent a few hours listening to our lawyer give a presentation about this and why we need to be clear in marketing to adults only. Epic got hit with a $245M fine because they were seen as marketing to kids (along with other crap): https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/12/245-million-ftc-settlement-alleges-fortnite-owner-epic-games-used-digital-dark-patterns-charge https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/12/245-milli...

passwordoops 4y ago
There's marketing and then there's using. Obviously they do restrict certain apps like Tinder and PH, but it's only those that are exclusively 18-over (and Epic since the fine). Other apps like FB, TikTok, XBox and the rest that no child should go near (or anyone else for that matter) gives a prompt with something along the lines of "Ask your parents for permission". If I say OK, either from my account or by logging in on hers, the app is installed and can be used, even though her profile is under 13. They don't market to kids, but it's still available and still shows up in search. It would be great if these legal actions do show real restriction for all apps that are rated 13-over, but then no more tablets for kids. That's going to cost manufacturers and ad-driven apps a ton of money so I don't see it happening outside of the FCC going directly after Apple and Google. Source: I have a kid with an age-restricted tablet and just tested
- TeMPOraL 4y ago
  To be clear: all of this happens when the device is set up by the parent to mark it explicitly as kids' device? I've never seen such things before. When I was a kid, knowing what year to put in a DOB form to put yourself safely over 18 y.o. was the most basic "Internet 101" life skill, second only to knowing where to type a website address.
  - passwordoops 4y ago
    On Android they have something called Family Link where you link a device and mark it explicitly as a kid's device to set restrictions like time usage, banned apps, etc. The only way to change settings is through the parent account. And yes she ran some very clever social engineering to try to get in. Almost got me once - my wife left her phone unlocked so my kid opened WA and wrote me a message asking to lift the time restriction for the rest of the day. Her mistake was sending an extra "thank you so much" with heart emoji, which I though was off. If not for that misstep she would have got me. Obviously she was rewarded and we listened to one of the Darknet Diaries episodes on social engineering