Apple Issues iOS Update Following Lawmaker's Call In Ridgewood For Fix

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Following a local lawmaker's call for Apple to fix parental controls on its products, the tech giant released a software update to fix an issue with the feature that limits screen time.

Just three days after Congressman Josh Gottheimer visited Ridgewood last week to "sound the alarm" about Apple's parental controls not working properly, the company released an update that said it would fix an "issue where Screen Time settings may reset or not sync across all devices."

"After calling on Apple to give parents back the power to protect their children, I'm glad to see that they've listened..." Fifth District Rep. Gottheimer said. "This Apple update is brand new, so we'll see if it stops Screen Time parental controls from randomly resetting after parents set them."

Gottheimer came to the Ridgewood YMCA last Monday to demand Apple fix the faulty tech, stating that he had heard from constituents and saw online complaints about purported "failures" with the Screen Time feature. He also sent a letter to the company's CEO Tim Cook urging him to fix what he said were "long-standing problems."

"Every parent needs to download this new Apple Screen Time software update on all of their families' devices to protect kids from excess screen time and explicit content," Gottheimer said Thursday.

During last Monday's public call for the fix, the congressman referenced data that some children spend four to six hours a day using screens, and that teens spend up to nine hours – in excess of what is considered "safe."

"Trust me, sometimes we'd love to take the smartphones, laptops, and tablets away from our kids for good, but it's just not realistic," he said last Monday. "Kids today use these devices to do their homework, connect with their friends, and call their parents when they need help."

He added that day that he is drafting legislation that would tackle alleged "crimes" stemming from social media (such as, he said, targeting drug sales to children), and boost transparency of social media companies.

"...our bill will provide crucial insights to combat these issues," he said.