Apple’s Family Sharing feature, designed to help parents manage their children’s screen time and purchases, is now under scrutiny. A recent case reveals how it can be misused in family disputes, exposing serious privacy and safety issues for children and parents alike.
In 2014, Apple introduced Family Sharing to simplify device management within households. It allowed one organizer to oversee app downloads, subscriptions, and location sharing. However, as one separated mother, referred to as Kate, told Wired, the system gave her ex-husband unchecked power after their separation.
A Mother Locked Out of Control
Kate’s ex-husband, the organizer of their Family Sharing group, refused to remove their children from the shared account. As the custodial parent, she assumed Apple would transfer control to her. Instead, Apple’s support team explained that only the organizer could make such changes.
Her ex used the system to monitor the children’s locations and manipulate Screen Time restrictions — tightening them when they were with her and loosening them during his custody. Kate described the experience as “invasive and coercive,” adding that it was “frightening and insanely frustrating to realize we were still not free.”
Lack of Safeguards and Apple’s Inaction
Despite Kate having a court protective order, Apple declined to intervene. Support representatives expressed sympathy but maintained that only the organizer could disband the group. The situation left Kate powerless until her children convinced their father to end the sharing setup.
Experts argue that Apple should enable joint organizer roles or create a court-order override process. After nearly a decade, the absence of these features appears to be a policy decision rather than a technical limitation.
Calls for Change
Apple has continued to expand parental safety tools, including content filters and app monitoring features. Yet critics say these measures focus on external threats, not internal family abuse.
Until Apple addresses these shortcomings, its Family Sharing system remains a double-edged sword — offering convenience for families, but potential harm for those navigating separation or conflict.
