John, MY concern is that if Apple is intentionally disallowing these kinds of apps or controls, then it is because they know very well the psychology of their use (you can bet your life they do) and know that we are becoming addicted to their products, which is what drives their profits. This starts to look very sinister indeed when you start to look carefully at the current research:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/07/08/is-the-internet-making-us-crazy -what-the-new-research-says.html
Really, they are the biggest drug dealers in the World, and they are completely untouchable. This is more dangerous than marijuana use, but because parents are just as addicted, there will be no moral outcry until enough parents see their children comitted.
When it becomes a national health crisis here in the U.S., which it is already, by some accounts, or at least on the brink of being so, nobody will even suspect that Apple knew long ago that there was that potential. In the final hour, they will sweep in like knights on white horses to finally allow some solutions but only well after they have as many addicted users and have wrung as much profict as could possibly be had.
For what it's worth, AVG Family Safety (like Open DNS but can be configured for individual devices/users and has timers/blackouts) is one good way to have some control over devices' internet use, but unfortunately, it does nothing to limit time or blackout periods on apps, which is the main feature I would like. I'd like to be able to let her use prodcuctivity/time management apps, do as much digital art as she wants, use social media for a limited amount of time... but don't want it to morph into texting for 5 hours or being on youtube (which can be accessed through Facebook) or some time-wasting game for 3 hours!
I've already written Apple and told them I'd be willing to pay more for these controls and I think many parents would. Please, if you agree with me, write apple and tell them you want specific time and blackout control for individual apps or at least over all non-educational/productivity/enrichment apps, as a group. Any app such as Spray Can that integrates socializing with random users should also be in this group of restrictable apps. Individual website restrictions would be helpful as well.
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