GoKawiil
Tech News
At the Fast Company Innovation Festival, a panel of experts discussed how parents can guide children through today's AI-driven technology landscape. The discussion framed current challenges as an evolution of earlier debates over children's screen and TV time.
A user who had disabled Apple Intelligence and Siri data-sharing features in macOS 15 found that upgrading to macOS 27 silently re-enabled these settings, removing the toggle that previously let them turn the feature off entirely. They also discovered Siri processes still running in the background, hidden opt-out controls buried under Screen Time parental restrictions, and 22.28 GB of storage consumed by Apple Intelligence components they never asked for.
A user query on Google about appropriate teen screen time triggered an AI-generated summary instead of the traditional list of website links. The AI response offered a specific number but immediately qualified it, noting factors like sleep, mood, exercise, and school demands could matter more than raw hours.
A new device called Minimal Phone 2 is being positioned around statistics showing people average 186 phone pickups, 4.5 hours of screen time, and 152 notifications daily. The product's messaging frames modern smartphones as engineered to maximize engagement through feeds and alerts rather than genuine utility.
Apple has officially launched iOS 27 alongside an iOS 26.7 update for users who haven't upgraded, both shipping the same day with over 120 security patches. iOS 27 introduces new photo editing tools, adjustable Liquid Glass visuals, simpler location sharing, weak-password replacement, revamped Screen Time controls, and an AI-driven version of Siri that can converse and complete tasks like ChatGPT or Gemini.
Apple's newly released 2027 operating system updates add a broader set of Screen Time and parental control tools tied to Child Accounts, which are mandatory for users under 13. New capabilities include simplified account setup, an 'Ask to Browse' option for requesting access to blocked websites, contact approval requirements, and customizable daily time limits and schedules for app categories like Games and Social Media.
Apple's built-in Screen Time feature lets iPhone users restrict access to distracting apps through two main tools: Downtime, which blocks all but selected apps and contacts during set hours, and App Limits, which caps daily usage for specific app categories or individual apps. Users can customize schedules by day, receive warnings before restrictions kick in, and sync these limits across all Apple devices tied to their Apple Account.
The OECD's latest PISA assessment found 15-year-olds scoring at their lowest levels since testing began in 2000, with reading falling from 501 in 2012 to 466, science from 506 to 486, and math from 502 to 469. The organization attributed the decline to increased screen time, less voluntary reading, and hasty reading habits, noting students who frequently used AI chatbots for schoolwork scored roughly 20 points lower in science.
A Pew Research Center survey of nearly 10,000 US adults found that 53% believe they use their smartphones too much, while 36% say their usage is about right. Younger adults reported the highest rates of overuse, with 70% of 18-to-29-year-olds and 64% of those aged 30-49 saying they're on their devices excessively. Separately, Semrush data shows people worldwide spend over four and a half hours daily on their phones, checking them roughly 58 times a day.
New York City has imposed a temporary ban on artificial intelligence use in classrooms through middle school, while also setting new limits on student screen time. High school students, by contrast, will gain access to AI literacy courses under the new policy.