Apple Updates Child Safety Tools After Activist Pressure

Apple announced updates to its child safety features in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 following years of advocacy from Sarah Gardner, founder of the Heat Initiative, and mounting legal pressure. Gardner protested outside Apple Park to demand greater child protection measures in Apple products, highlighting what she saw as the company’s historical reluctance to acknowledge its role in children’s online experiences.

The new features include a revamped child account setup process, parental controls for app access and web browsing via “Ask to Browse,” and expanded Communication Safety features that detect and blur nudity, gore, and violent content. Parents can now limit screen time, receive notifications when Screen Time passcodes are used, and report inappropriate content more easily.

Apple initially proposed a photo-scanning tool for detecting CSAM but abandoned it due to privacy concerns. While Gardner would like to see that tool reinstated, experts question whether implementation would be any more secure today. The updates will roll out first in Australia, Brazil, the US, and the UK.