Here’s how Apple will update child safety features in iOS 27

Gardner also asked why Apple never removed Grok, which… It is still hosting fake sexualized clips of celebrities through Junefrom its app store.

“When someone points out that these apps are deepfaking teens or creating child sexual abuse material, they quietly remove them from the App Store without announcing it, so their inconsistency with respect to the App Store is really clear,” Gardner says.

Apple says nudity apps conflict with its guidelines, and has proactively rejected several of them and removed others, including those reported by people through the App Store’s reporting tools. The company did not explain why Grok is still available on the platform.

As for whether Apple is still looking into deploying CSAM detection technology, Apple pointed to its Communications Safety feature, which blocks photos and videos that contain nudity, violent content, or blood in various apps. (It automatically turns on for users under 18.) The company will also make a new functionality available for reporting these types of content. Users in Australia, Brazil, the US and the UK will get it first, with availability expanding to other regions over time.

“We have a long-standing commitment to building a safe and trusted platform for kids, providing many industry-leading tools that help keep them safe while also protecting their privacy,” Apple says.

Apple’s CSAM implementation does not include accountability guarantees, says Anunay Kulshrestha, an applied cryptography expert and information security consultant at Infosec Clinic. He doesn’t think Apple’s app of today would be better than if the company had moved forward three years ago. “The government could pressure Apple to add something to the collection other than child sexual abuse material, and Apple has been known to kowtow to governments,” Kulshrestha says.

What is Apple changing?

So what can you expect later this year? iOS 27, iPad OS 27and Mac 27? Let’s break down some of the improvements and new capabilities.

Courtesy of Apple

Updates for children’s accounts

The setup process for creating a child account has been revamped, with Apple saying setup should take about six minutes. It is required for children under 13 and available for children up to 18. This process includes restricting adult sites, setting age-appropriate media, and implementing age-based restrictions in the App Store.

Parents can also choose which apps kids can access on the device — there’s an option to start with some basic apps, a curated collection, or choose apps manually. (You can add more apps over time.)

Ask to browse

Courtesy of Apple

Ask to Browse is a new experience in Safari; If enabled, children must ask parents for permission to visit a new website in the browser. It works similarly to the App Store’s “Permission to Purchase” function (where children must ask permission to purchase or install new apps). When they ask for permission, a message is sent to the guardian’s device via messages.

Approve new contacts

Courtesy of Apple

By default, kids need to ask permission before saving or communicating with a new contact on the Phone app, FaceTime, or Messages. Parents will receive a message requesting consent, which they can reject or approve immediately.

Communications safety updates

Apple’s current Communications Security feature automatically detects and blurs nudity in Messages, FaceTime, and AirDrop for users under 18. This has now been expanded to include gory or graphic violent content, and Apple says it also works in shared photo albums, contact stickers and the Contacts app.

Time allowances and custom schedules

Apple says it’s working with the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Family Media Plan as a point of reference for parents and their children’s digital well-being. That’s why Time Alances offers suggestions about how much time kids should spend in specific app categories based on their age, like entertainment, gaming, or social media.

Parents can customize these allowances, and there are daily schedules that let you allow groups of apps at certain times of the day or week. For example, parents can block gaming apps during school hours. And if you want your child to turn off their phone during dinner, parents can temporarily turn off access through their own devices. Overall, the Screen Time interface has been redesigned to provide a quick view that shows a child’s average use of the device and the most frequently used apps.

Other small improvements

• Screen Time Passcode Notifications: You can set up a notification every time a Screen Time passcode is entered on a child’s device.
• User reporting tools: Apple says the new reporting tool is available in Australia, Brazil, the US, and the UK (more regions are coming), making it easier for users to report child sexual abuse material or other inappropriate material.
• Child safety website: Apple has Custom website Powered by new tools with helpful resources and answers to frequently asked questions.