Reliable Shield enforcement for Parental Control App when child disables Notifications

Question

Created 3w

Replies 2

Boosts 0

Participants 2

We're building a parental control app using FamilyControls (.child authorization). Our architecture:

Parent sends pause command → Firestore + FCM Child receives push → NotificationService Extension triggers main app Main app sets ManagedSettings Shields

Problem: If child disables Notifications in Settings and force-quits the app, we cannot enforce Shields. What we've tried:

Firestore Realtime Listener (works only when app is running) DeviceActivityMonitor (intervalDidStart/End only triggers at schedule boundaries, eventDidReachThreshold requires explicit app selection via FamilyActivityPicker)

Question: Is there a recommended approach for parental control apps to reliably enforce Shields when the child has disabled notifications? Or is this a known limitation?

Boost

Answer 1

Quappi OP

1w

I think there are always ways to go around limitations even if your app is able to enforce them. There are so many tutorials on TikTok etc on how children can trick apples screen time tech.

their frameworks are fundamentally rotten that make it very easy to go around.

1

Answer 2

Kleopetra OP

1w

Thanks – yes, many ways to go around for trickster kids, so annoying! I finally found a way for now … my kid could not work around it for now, and he's an expert as I can see in his screen time (which I defined the best I could) :)

0