Explain why Apple has removed some parental control apps


by

Rishi Deep

Apple has added a feature called ' screen time ' from iOS 12, released in September 2018, to visualize which apps users are using for how long. This screen-time ' content and privacy restriction ' can be used to restrict the use of a specific terminal, it can be used as so-called ' parental control '. The App Store has multiple parental control apps that differ from those that are standard on iOS, and Apple explains on its official site its own initiatives for these.

The facts about parental control apps-Apple
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/04/the-facts-about-parental-control-apps/

Apple has always believed that parents should have the tools to manage their children's use of their devices, indicating a positive position for parental control. And, as a function for parental control, we revealed that we developed 'screen time' that appeared from iOS 12. In addition to screen times, the App Store also notes that there are several apps that help parents with children, such as Moment Health's Balance Screen Time and Verizon's Verizon Smart Family .

However, Apple has removed some parental control apps from the App Store. The New York Times reports on this under the heading 'Apple has cracked down on 'Apps to fight iPhone addiction',” saying, 'Apple lets parents control or control their children's devices. Companies are being forced to remove the ability to block children's access to their apps and adult content.

Apple Cracks Down on Apps That Fight iPhone Addition-The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/27/technology/apple-screen-time-trackers.html



It has been pointed out that Apple has 'removed other companies' apps from the App Store for their own apps'.

Kaspersky sues Apple for antitrust violations as 'Apple has removed other companies' apps for its own app from the App Store'-GIGAZINE



In response to this criticism, Apple has stated that '(the removal of the parental control app) simply put the user's privacy and security at risk.' And, in the statement, we explain the process that led to the removal of some parental control apps.

Apple 'in 2018, we noticed that part of the parental control app (removed from the App Store) uses a highly invasive technology called Mobile Device Management (MDM) MDM allows third parties to access the most sensitive information for the user, such as device control and user location, app usage history, email account information, access to cameras, access to browsing history, etc. In early 2017, non-enterprise developers began to investigate the use of MDM, and in mid-2017, the guidelines were updated based on the survey. ' Behind the removal of the control app is the presence of a technology called MDM that allows unauthorized access to the user's confidential information It explained that there was. According to the advent of MDM, Apple has stated that it has updated the App Store guidelines, and that it prohibits general developers from using MDM.

Continued on why we did not prohibit the use of MDM for companies, 'MDM has legitimate uses. Devices for companies so that they can better manage their own data and hardware. There is a case of installing MDM on Furthermore, 'Apple,' however, is very dangerous to install MDM on user devices for private consumer-centric app businesses, and it is a clear breach of App Store policy. The app itself Surveys have shown that MDM profiles can be exploited by hackers for malicious purposes, beyond the control that can be exercised on user devices. '


by

Tim van der Kuip

Also, “parents do not have to trade their fears of using children's devices with risks to privacy or security. And App Store should not be a platform to enforce such a choice. Everyone should not have unrestricted access to manage their children's devices,) and wrote, 'explaining why some parental control apps have been removed from the App Store.

When discovering an app that violates the guidelines, Apple is asking app developers to notify them of the violation and submit the updated app within 30 days to a content that does not violate the guidelines. The app of the developer who updated the app according to this notification content remains on the App Store, and the one that remains in violation of the guidelines without updating the app is deleted from the App Store.


by Julian O'hayon

Apple has described the 'App Store built to create a safe and lively market where developers and entrepreneurs can provide their ideas to users around the world,' the app on the App Store The developers who are delivering have stated that the app needs to meet Apple's standards for security and obligations.

in Mobile,   Software,   Security, Posted by logu_ii