Apple is gearing up to release new child safety tools in iOS 27. Here’s a look at what the science behind the guidelines says.
During the WWDC 2026 keynote, Apple announced that it would release expanded parental controls for Child Accounts. These tools have been designed to help parents manage how a young person interfaces with a device.
The controls range from content blocking to encouraging healthier browsing habits. These guidelines were created in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
However, Apple didn’t really expand on what those digital guidelines entailed. And currently, it can be hard to tell because not only are some of the features in beta, but many cannot be tested because accounts for children under age 13 are ineligible for Apple beta tests.
That being said, AAP boasts a very large website with plenty of readily available information. It’s worth taking a look at current best practices and understanding how to apply them to your child’s device and media usage limits.
Understanding risks by age group
Kids aren’t going to be negatively impacted by everything equally. Typically, a child’s age, development, and temperament play a much larger role than anything else.
Taking the time to understand the current accepted benefits and risks in relation to a child’s age and development is a good place to start. Here are the main takeaways from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The good…
It’s important to realize that labeling technology as “bad” across the board isn’t particularly helpful. Outside of assistive technologies, there are times when technology, such as an iPad, can be beneficial for a young person.
Generally, you’ll want to curtail screen time until a child is about three years old. Once a child is solidly in the toddler phase, they’ve already laid important building blocks for communication and self-soothing.
Toddlers can use an iPad to refine motor skills, and plenty of high-quality child-appropriate programming has been directly linked with increased STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and language learning; this effect is notably strengthened when media and games are played jointly, specifically with a parent or caregiver.
For young children, there’s a wealth of high-quality edutainment available. Thanks to the neuroplasticity of elementary-age students, this is a perfect time to introduce STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) and language-first apps into their lives.
With parents’ help, kids can learn to use technology in a healthy way. | Image credit: Apple
Tweens and young teens, ages 10-14, can use high-quality apps for self-expression. Digital communication with peers is often positive, despite what the media portrays.
Tweens may begin to show interest in art, science, or engineering. This makes it the perfect time to introduce more generous, yet constructive, time limits on devices.
For example, a child with an interest in art may benefit from using an iPad with Procreate. A child with an interest in gaming may also be interested in game and app development, making Swift Playgrounds or GDevelop a great creative outlet.
Older teenagers, age 15-18, are typically less negatively affected by digital content and device usage. For many, having boundaries set earlier means they are more likely to establish healthy relationships with screen time.
Typically, teenagers benefit from researching their interests online. Through these activities, teens can experience healthy identity formation and self-expression, especially when they have supportive caregiver involvement.
… the bad…
Of course, device and media use can cause some negative effects on kids, too. This often manifests in developmental delays that can be difficult to correct later in life.
In infants under 18 months, immature cognitive processing essentially makes it impossible for them to transfer information from a screen to the real world. This means that excessive screen time can get in the way of activities that support normal development in very young children.
Noneducational and solo screen media use has been associated with delays in language, cognitive, social-emotional, executive, and fine-motor development in children under age five.
Aside from infants, toddlers are probably the most susceptible to the negative impacts of prolonged technology use. Excessive use can lead to reduced movement, play, and exploration, as well as a sharp decline in communication skills.
Toddlers who heavily use devices and watch excessive amounts of low-quality media tend to be much less emotionally regulated. Notably, these children are more prone to anger outbursts.
You’ve probably heard children who display this behavior referred to as “iPad babies.”
The emotional dysregulation stems from a child’s inability to self-soothe, reinforced by a parent handing a child a device to calm them down. A screaming, fussy child should never be handed an iPad or any sort of media as a method of emotional regulation.
One crucial thing to remember for all children, regardless of age, is that boredom and frustration are not emergencies. Children should not automatically default to screens to prevent boredom or deal with frustration.
Elementary-age children, ages 5 to 10, will most certainly struggle with self-imposed screen time limits. If given the chance, many children will sit with a device for hours on end.
They also may have issues with task prioritization, choosing to play a game on an iPad, for example, over chores or homework.
And there are physical health risks involved with too much screen time, too. Excessive media use can be linked to increased myopia, a sedentary lifestyle, and elevated cardiometabolic risks.
Unlike when most of us were kids, it’s no longer unusual for kids as young as 10 to get their first smartphone. Kids between the ages of 11 and 14, or the tween/young teen phase, begin facing a unique set of digital challenges not seen before.
Setting time limits can help prevent unwanted dependency on devices, especially in young children
Social media use is starting younger and younger these days, but tweens are more likely to feel peer pressure to engage. In the United States, most social media platforms require users to be at least 13 years old.
Of course, many of them do anyway. And the science behind whether social media use is harmful or benign isn’t as clear as one would think.
Widespread social media use in tweens and young teens is difficult to study. We’re only just now seeing the effects of a generation raised on social media, and some of the initially observed evidence doesn’t hold up.
Ultimately, it boils down to this:
Every child will react differently to social media. The effects it has on a child are likely to be influenced by other factors, such as strained relationships with family members or any genetic predisposition to depression.
Like all screen time, social media use should be done in moderation. Most research has been consistent that passive use, aka “doomscrolling,” is not healthy.
Active use, such as commenting, liking, and sharing content, tends to be neutral to positive. Content creation, when supervised by an adult and done in moderation, can also have positive effects.
Teens between the ages of 15 and 18 can still be negatively affected by device usage. Excessive screen time, whether on a phone, television, or game console, is directly correlated with reduced academic performance.
Again, too much screen time leads to poor task prioritization, increased social isolation, and reduced physical activity.
Social media use can put at-risk youth at higher risk for developing eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and self-harm behaviors. Teens with ADHD, autism, and anxiety may see negative symptoms worsen with prolonged screen time.
… And the ugly.
There are, of course, certain perils specific to internet usage.
Cyberbullying is hardly rare. It’s easy for teens and occasionally adults to harass children online.
Cyberbullying often goes unnoticed, and even when acknowledged, is often dismissed by the families of the perpetrators. Schools are often reticent to get involved, often expecting parents to manage the issue on their own time.
According to a study published by the Association for the Treatment & Prevention of Sexual Abuse, a surprising amount of child sex abuse material (CSAM) is youth-produced. It is not uncommon for teenagers, for example, to send nude photographs of themselves to others. Unfortunately, it’s also quite common that teenagers find themselves coerced into sending nude images of themselves.
Sensitive content warnings prevent nudity from being shared or received
There’s also a growing problem with student-on-student AI CSAM. One school in Pennsylvania saw two 14-year-old boys produce more than 350 AI-generated nude images of nearly 60 female classmates. Because the perpetrators were minors themselves, the system didn’t really have a way to handle this.
Ultimately, they were sentenced to probation, required to do community service, and can have their records expunged after two years. The victims, on the other hand, will have to live with those actions for the rest of their lives.
Ultimately, many of the worst effects can be curtailed by parents, guardians, and caregivers actively engaging with the child on a routine basis. Conversations should be kept open and non-punitive whenever possible, and children should be praised for seeking solutions to any problems that arise.
What limits are appropriate
The American Academy of Pediatrics does not believe that there is a one-size-fits-all guide for screen time or screen type use. Instead, they strongly suggest that parents talk to their children and assess their readiness.
Some very young children may not be able to handle much device use, regardless of the content. This is okay, as screen time is not particularly beneficial for children under 5 in the first place.
It’s much better to encourage healthy behaviors and active development in a very young child than start them on their digital literacy journey too young.
Older children will still need guidance. As always, teaching emotional regulation and healthy task prioritization are key.
Children should know that screen time is a privilege, not a guarantee. Chores, socialization, screen-free play, and homework come first.
Healthy digital habits should be praised and supported. Children who use devices for self-expression may do well with more generous time allowances on apps like Procreate or educational apps.
Those who use it for passive media consumption may need to have certain restrictions placed on apps like Instagram and YouTube. Children who become more anxious with prolonged device use may benefit from reduced screen time across the board.
As with most things in life, it’s not a matter of quantity but of quality. Devices are tools, and, as such, caregivers are encouraged to assess the content young users interact with.
Apple’s expanded tools, set to roll out with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, give parents a few new options that should help them manage what content their kids interact with more effectively.
Specifically, the new Ask to Browse feature should be an effective way to prevent children from accessing inappropriate web content.
Time Allowances also gives parents the chance to set overall time limits and limits on specific kinds of media. For example, if a child enjoys learning to code, a parent may choose to allocate more time to Swift Playground while keeping time for YouTube shorter.
It’s important to realize that these tools do not replace active parenting. Simply blocking some apps and websites and setting limits doesn’t teach healthy digital behaviors.
Parents need to take an active role and serve as guides as kids learn to interact with technology. Additionally, leading by example is a great way to encourage kids to develop healthy behaviors.
