Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18
Article Offers 10 Tips to Cut Children’s Screen Time With Device Controls
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18

Article Offers 10 Tips to Cut Children’s Screen Time With Device Controls

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18

Summary

  • 10 tips in the guide focus on using built-in parental controls, screen-time apps and router settings to reduce children’s device use and block inappropriate content or purchases.
  • Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link and subscription apps such as Qustodio are presented as the main tools for setting limits, creating screen-free periods and approving access incrementally.
  • YouTube gets special attention: the guide recommends removing or disabling the app, blocking the website on iPhone and Android, and shutting off SharePlay to prevent workarounds.
  • For older children, the article says router controls may not be enough and points to a dedicated firewall such as Firewalla Purple, while stressing that technical barriers are only a temporary fix.
  • The broader advice extends to streaming profiles, smart-TV PIN locks, single-use devices, iPhone Guided Access and visible timers, with parent-child guidance framed as the lasting safeguard.

Insights

When tech-savvy kids inevitably bypass router firewalls and app limits, what is the ultimate failsafe for protecting their digital wellbeing?
Could strict parental controls secretly sabotage a child's ability to self-regulate, setting them up for worse digital addiction later?
Are the very apps designed to protect children's screen time quietly harvesting their private data behind parents' backs?