Safe Kids - Do "always allowed" apps count toward total screen time?

[paukaye]

I’m sure someone else must have asked this question, but if they have, I’m having trouble finding it.

There is a certain educational app that I want to allow my child to use independently of his daily screen time limit. I believe that I’ve successfully set this up within the Safe Kids settings. My question is: If he uses this educational app before his screen time limit is reached, does his use of this app count towards his screen time limit? (If it does, that is somewhat problematic because it would discourage him from using this app earlier in the day because doing so would stop him from being able to play games later in the day.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Igor Kurzin]

Hi @paukaye, 

Yes, the use of any app counts towards the screen time limit. 

Regards,

Igor

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello @paukaye,

Welcome!

Yes, any “allowed” apps, used within an Device use time allocated period, do count,  image →  1, 2 & 3 

 

Yes, (ioo), it’s problem that should be fixed. 

Allowed apps could be managed (time wise) in the same way as background apps. 

• The way to possibly get this changed, is to log a request with Kaspersky Technical Support, use the Feedback, I have a complaint template → image 4; provide as much information as possible, including your very logical & rationale points, as they clearly define why the current version of KSK needs to change. 
• After submitting the case, you’ll receive an automated email with an INC+12digits reference number, then, normally, within 5 business days, a Kaspersky Technical Support human will communicate with you, also by email, you may continue to engage with the Kaspersky Technical Team via email or by updating the INC in your MyKaspersky account.
• Note: the process may take a very long time, each request is measured against many benchmarks and not all requests are successful. 
• When feedback from the Kaspersky Technical Team is available, please share it here in the Kaspersky Community? 

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳

[LeChuck71]

Sorry to be that harsh, but this is the moste stupid feature on Safe Kids. How can an “unlimited” App count time wise against the device limit? 

I really wonder what those programmers think while they code that sh***. 

• Add extra time NOT working on phone app - have to use website
• Unlimited apps count against screen time - wtf?
• No feedback from support on those issues - pathetic

There are some nice features, that Google & Microsoft don’t offer at the moment but otherwise it’s wasted 16€.

 

 

 

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello @LeChuck71,

Welcome!

I agree.

The way to get these things changed is to log a Feedback, I have a complaint request, please do so → fill in the template as in our image

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello @paukaye & @LeChuck71, 

The following are the responses from the Kaspersky Technical experts:

quote

September 2020

“In Safe Kids application, device usage time considered as main restriction, which means that "stop him from being able to play games later in the day" scenario requires adding additional time for device usage, since playing games always "requires" using device.

We don't think that "available on blocked device = allowed" logic is correct. Overall idea there is to teach kid with time management basics (he has limited time to use device during the day, and he needs to manage it accordingly). Having possibility to use device out of configured intervals breaks this idea.”

October 2020

“When the device is blocked due to a device time limit, the selected apps will still be available according to the specific application settings. Usage information of the selected apps will be displayed in the application usage reports but will not affect the device usage reports.

>> How is "available on blocked device" supposed to function if it is measured during any configured device time period?

The applications that can be used while the device is blocked are added to the list of exclusions. The time limitations that you specify for these applications are still effective. The child cannot use the applications longer than, or during blocked hours, from those that you specify.

In other words, there's a priority between the configured settings:
If downtime settings for device are set, they have higher priority and override "available on blocked device" setting during blocked hours.
If application reached its limit according to specified settings, it will be no longer "available on blocked device"

October 2020

“Please be advised that a bug request has been registered on this issue and it is being worked by our experts”. 
unquote
 

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳+🐋

[Otavio Dantas]

Hi all, paukaye's request makes total sense - I've just filled the complaint below as suggested by Flood.

 

-x-

 

Hi folks, I have just installed the Kaspersky Safe Kids and I'm testing the premium version before buying it - by the way, I like it and will likely buy it in a week.

Today is the first day I'm using it and I found an issue that could be likely fixed easily. Long story short:
- I fixed a maximum of 02h10 per day of Tablet time for my kids.
- The main idea here is to have them doing other stuff during the day rather than playing games or watching YouTube videos.
- As a matter of fact, however, Tablets nowadays are used for multiple purposes beyond entertainment, such as remote schooling.
- Unfortunately, the way Kaspersky is currently set limits my ability to exclude selected softwares from the device usage time.

Think as a father: you want your kids to have the 1-2 hours of gaming per day regardless of the time they are using the Tablet for Home Schooling, right?

As my kids are currently in vacation, the home schooling issue has not yet caused a problem, but it certainly will. That said, the problem I'm facing during the first day of use is related to a "remote control app". Since we lost the TV remote control, we've been using this app - now, each time my kids use the app to control the TV, it reduces their gaming time.

Home school and remote control are just two examples of uses that I - and certainly many other users - would like not to count to device usage time.

I've found others complaining about it (e.g. https://community.kaspersky.com/kaspersky-safe-kids-16/safe-kids-do-always-allowed-apps-count-toward-total-screen-time-11009) and I truly believe that there is a great opportunity to improve this functionality.

[SST]

The two replies above seem to be related to two different kids devices with different os.

The android app has a feature where you can set various apps to be allowed during blocked periods (probably because they see this all the time with phones where parents want kids not to be sitting on the phone but they want communications apps to still be available for emergencies etc.

I would love to see this same feature in the windows client. That could be the answer to many of the calls for this type of feature and the very real need that parents have during covid homeschooling for the additional feature set.

As the September note says (which is what I was also told when I reported/asked for it) the problem is a stubborn philosophy getting in the way of customer needs. They already have the code in android. So likely the logic work is already done.

This is the stupidest rational and I am terribly dissapointed that the owners of Kaspersky are allowing the dev managers to get away with blocking out customer requests this way. I really like working with Kaspersky, especiall being a russophone (My spouse is from Russia, I l.ived there for a year). But they are even putting me off by this and I will be forced to discontinue my subscription once it expires.

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello @SST,

And welcome again!

• The two replies we posted are not for different devices, with different OS, however, even if that were the case, it’s irrelevant → the problem exists, Kaspersky have yet to address it. 
• If Kaspersky Technical Support receive more formally logged cases, it may “prompt” them to take some positive action.

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳+🐋

[SST]

Thanks for the reply.

I am more confused ;) . See the attached screenshot of my daughter’s phone app settings. 

But thinking more even if that works as I think it won’t provide what people are asking for as you mentioned.

 

 

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello @SST, 

You’re most welcome☺ !

Thank you for posting back👌

There’s more than one issue.

Correct, it won’t. 

• ✅ Please log a Feedback, I have a complaint with Kaspersky, as per our reply September 2020. 
• And, please keep us posted with any feedback? 

@Igor Kurzin,

What is the point of “available on blocked device”, if the device is blocked because, device use time has expired, but, parents have configured “available on blocked device” to enable the children to continue to use a specific app, even when & if the device is blocked? 

Available on blocked device should be excluded from device use time. 

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳+🐋

[Igor Kurzin]

What is the point of “available on blocked device”, if the device is blocked because, device use time has expired, but, parents have configured “available on blocked device” to enable the children to continue to use a specific app, even when & if the device is blocked? 

Available on blocked device should be excluded from device use time. 

The point of “available on blocked device” is to allow the kid to use the app after the device use time has expired. If it does not work, this case has to be analyzed by technical support.

[Igor Kurzin]

I would love to see this same feature in the windows client. That could be the answer to many of the calls for this type of feature and the very real need that parents have during covid homeschooling for the additional feature set.

Hi @SST , added your feedback to the corresponding suggestion (3815741). Thank you. 

[Flood and Flood's wife]

 The point of “available on blocked device” is to allow the kid to use the app after the device use time has expired. If it does not work, this case has to be analyzed by technical support.

@Igor Kurzin, 

1. Does “Available on blocked device” work on Windows devices? 
2. More importantly, the original issue raised by @paukaye "always allowed/Available on blocked device” apps should be excluded from total screen time. 

Thank you🙏

Flood🐳+🐋

[Igor Kurzin]

@Flood and Flood's wife 

1. Does “Available on blocked device” work on Windows devices? 

https://support.kaspersky.com/KPC/1.0/en-US/179521.htm

1. More importantly, the original issue raised by @paukaye "always allowed/Available on blocked device” apps should be excluded from total screen time. 

Added to the suggestion 3986877, thank you. 

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Apps can be made available even when a device is blocked due to a device time limit. This feature is available on Android devices only.

🙄

[isogulaleb]

I agree, this feature has to be working on Windows too, not only on Android devices. For example, I have to enable my kids to use Teams any time as they receive their assignments and homeworks through this application, I cannot limit its usage time together with all the other applications.