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An Apple software bug, which allowed children to bypass parental controls and view porn, violent images and illicit drugs, took three years to fix, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Security researchers reported the bug, which allowed users to easily circumvent web restrictions, multiple times over the course of three years. After WSJ Tech Columnist Joanna Stern contacted Apple about the problem, the company said it would release a fix in the next software update.
Senior Personal Technology Columnist Joanna Stern offered a personal take: "My son’s iPad is set to restrict him from visiting most websites. And yet I was able to use it to access the most X-rated parts of the internet.
"Porn, violent images, illicit drugs. I could see it all by typing a special string of characters into the Safari browser’s address bar. The parental controls I had set via Apple’s Screen Time? Useless."
Stern reported that the failure of Apple to protect the online safety of children likely doesn't come as a surprise, pointing to instances where parents claim screen limits, parental controls for app downloads or screentime estimates of how much time is spent on devices often don't work as advertised.
A 12-year-old boy looks at a iPad screen. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Apple told the WSJ that it is constantly making improvements to the user experience.
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"We take reports of issues regarding Screen Time very seriously and have been consistently making improvements to ensure users have the best experience," an Apple spokeswoman told the WSJ, adding that the latest iOS 17.5 software includes substantial Screen Time fixes. "Our work is not done, and we will continue to make updates in upcoming software releases."
Two researchers detailed their experience trying to get Apple to listen to the problem they've been reporting to the company for three years.
WSJ reported that the failure of Apple to protect the online safety of children likely doesn't come as a surprise as many parents have repeatedly complained about safety controls. (iStock / iStock)
In 2020, Vienna-based security researcher Andreas Jägersberger discovered the bug while he was conducting some tests in which he realized that typing a string of characters into the Safari address bar in any Apple software would bypass parental controls, the WSJ reported. The bug also allowed a workaround for web blacklists set on company phones and laptops with device management software, he said.
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Jägersberger, along with his colleague Ro Achterberg, flagged the bug in a report to Apple's security team in March 2021, but when Apple responded a day later, they were told that the flaw wasn’t a security issue and to submit a report via Apple’s feedback tool, but they never heard back, according to the report. They issued another report to Apple's security team in August 2021 to which they responded: "We do not see any actual security implications," which they then submitted to the feedback channel, but heard nothing for a second time.
"They rejected without knowing implications or severity or anything, which is frustrating to us," Achterberg said.
A girl sits on the couch and looks into her parents' tablet. (Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Jägersberger and Achterberg continued to issue report submissions for three years before they contacted the WSJ to share their concerns.
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Stern tested the bug, typing out the character string along with any web addresses on multiple devices and was able to visit porn sites, watch graphic, violent news footage on YouTube and Google "how to buy cocaine," the WSJ reported.
Stern contacted Apple and a spokeswoman said it is "aware of an issue with an underlying web technology protocol for developers, which allows for a user to bypass web content restrictions" and that "a fix has been planned for the next software update."
An Apple spokesperson also told her that they maintain the flaw was a software issue, not a security vulnerability. Stern also outlined other bugs riddling Apple products, calling on the company to fix time limits on apps and ensure accurate screen times and proper controls for app download requests.
Fox News Digital reached out to Apple for comment.
