My child accessed YouTube and the internet through an app I approved...

ElizabethJune_98 · 2024-05-22T21:00:26+00:00

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Hi Gabb. Really appreciate what you guys have done for my family so far but I'm a little concerned. My son has a Gabb phone 3 with the "advanced" type plan to get apps. I recently enabled an app for him from my account online. He downloaded the app just fine on his phone but I was really disappointed when he came to me and showed me a YouTube video. He had accessed it through the app I enabled. I thought these devices were free of the internet and social media....

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Accepted answers

Reagan - Gabb

Hi Elizabeth!. First off, sorry to hear that you guys had that experience with YouTube access. Our number one goal is to provide parents and kids with the right tech for their situation. Safety is the number one priority! We run all of the 3rd party apps inside the Gabb App Store through an approval process but with any app that is not developed by Gabb, there are inherent risks involved. We recognize this and want to let you as the parent choose what is best for your situation!

Here is the message in place that gets accepted when enabling any 3rd party app via gabb.com/account:

5CFfy58-7xYBiDBOB0b7uFvu7Ht0P_XsNle9EEEDyPL-Oicju4HBZ9P9GZwjngrVCvlD7jAj8X8-Xv2vhbZ8XSeV0fQx86ZEZK7G9BUhKrdUMHqQ7zi9Wh2da7_qmo3GeV78IR3_gOkh_zm3Va9khfU

The biggest thing is that parents can choose to disable any 3rd-party apps that are concerning or problematic for their child.

We want to empower and team up with you as the parent. Enabling you to choose what is best for your situation! We know how important and complicated navigating this digital world with kids can be. We really do care and want to make it simple, give parents options, and help as best as we can. We fully support you to disable this app that might be a risk or not a good fit.

- Reagan

All comments

Reagan - Gabb

Here is the message in place that gets accepted when enabling any 3rd party app via gabb.com/account:

The biggest thing is that parents can choose to disable any 3rd-party apps that are concerning or problematic for their child.

- Reagan

ElizabethJune_98

Oh, okay! I see what you're doing. I actually really like that you are giving parents the ability to choose apps that work best for us. I guess I'll make sure to check out the app with my son first. Thanks for this info!

rmak

I am extremely disappointed and frustrated that after using the Greenlight app for a few weeks it is only now that I have discovered through the 'choose a charity' section that my children can access the internet on a GABB phone. I appreciate that you have a disclaimer on the app description on that says there are no parental controls but I do I feel duped and misled, as I naively assumed that a phone company whose purpose is keeping kids OFF the internet would not partner with companies who have secret backdoors to the internet hidden within their app.. Why it is incumbent upon the parent to hopefully discover this dangerous back door on one of your approved apps instead of your app vetting team?

JaydenJohns

Hi @rmak ,

We are so sorry to hear about the experience your son had with the Greenlight App on the Gabb Phone 3 Pro. With any 3rd party app, there are risks involved, which we state within our https://gabb.com/app-guide/ on our website. We are unable to control what is shown within the 3rd party apps as they are ran by the creators of those apps. However, we do safety checks before approving any app to the app library for parents to add.

Parents are able to enable and disable apps as they please for their child's device. We make our decisions based on the most requested apps by parents and if there are apps that some parents may not approve of, they do not need to enable them for their child. We want parents to feel empowered to help make this device as locked down or as flexible as they are needing for their family.

-Jayden

Mpowell

My child was able to access YouTube through the advertisements that come up in the Wordscapes game.

Reagan - Gabb

Hi @Mpowell,

Your post was merged into this thread with customers who have experienced situations similar to yours. Make sure to check out this thread for answers to your question and concerns.

-Reagan

Holly

hopping in here to add to this conversation! My daughter has been able to access YouTube via the Magic Cube App. To be clear, there is no warning on this app around having potential internet access. It should just be the game. Is this something @Gabb Product you can review with your team and block this access?

We have had so many issues with this phone overall. We loved the watch, but the phone has been a headache.

Gabb Product

Hi @Holly,

First off - sorry to hear your Gabb Phone 3 Pro hasn't been as good of an experience as your watch. Regarding YouTube access via the third-party approved app Magic Cube - we recommend unapproving the app if there is access or content that you do not wish your daughter to have. You can remove third-party apps you've enabled at any time by following these steps:

From a computer, log in to gabb.com/account
Select Gabb App Store
Find and remove the app in question

With our Pro phone models (Gabb Phone 3 Pro and Gabb Phone 4 Pro) on an Advanced plan type, parents can enable these third-party apps as desired. Safety is our number one priority and we want to empower parents to make the best decisions for their individual families and situations. When approving Magic Cube (or any third-party app) the following disclaimer is displayed to the parent:

While we vet all apps available in our App Store for basic safety, each third-party app is managed by its developer and there are always risks involved with any app not developed by Gabb. We understand your concern and will take an additional consideration for the app in question. We truly appreciate you and hope that this can provide you with the flexibility you need for navigating tech with your daughter and family.

Thank you!

-Gabb Product Team

bthoma

I find this response to be more disappointing than the problem. Gabb should hear this concern as an opportunity to further live their mission of providing kid safe devices, and giving parents peace of mind.

I am able to block domains on my router and through Apple’s Screen Time, so there must be a way for Gabb to block traffic from social media domains on their OS. I don’t expect Gabb to solve this overnight, but hiding behind terms of service and pretending that this isn’t solvable is not an acceptable solution.

Greenlight is an app promoted by Gabb. There is a marketing offer attached to it, so there is some level of partnership between Gabb and Greenlight. I chose Greenlight because it appeared to be promoted by Gabb and available on the Gabb platform (other apps were not available).

I would like Gabb to take the following action:

Block domain traffic from the major, known social media platforms:
Meta/Facebook/Instagram
Bytedance/TikTok
Snapchat
Twitter/X
YouTube

I believe this is the right thing to do and would solve this issue.

Otherwise, all of this is false advertising:

Gabb Product

Hi @bthoma

Thanks for this comment. We certainly understand your concern. Our Gabb Phone 4 is our phone for kids as it is best for calling, texting, and GPS tracking. It does not support our more robust parent enabled third-party app capabilities like our Pro phone models. With that being said, our Gabb Phone 4 does support a handful of non Gabb apps that the parent can enable (i.e. Quran, Gospel Library, Torah, Chess etc). The Greenlight app was one of these limited non Gabb apps that was available for the Gabb Phone 4.

We have removed Greenlight from being available for parent enabled download on the Gabb Phone 4.

If any app has potential for internet/social media access, we do not allow it on our Gabb Phone 4 as this device is the first step in tech for our phone options. Regarding blocking access via the OS of this device - this device is built a little differently to ensure further safety, and therefore is not an option.

Our Gabb Phone 4 is now supporting the system default apps (calendar, timer, Gabb Messenger, settings etc) as well as a limited lineup of optional parent approved apps (mentioned above). Our more robust teen phone, the Gabb Phone 4 Pro, supports the parent enabling of third-party apps (when using an Advanced plan). As mentioned in this discussion thread, parents are shown a disclaimer message when approving any third-party app. This disclaimer encourages parents to have conversations with their child and acknowledges any potential risks of the app they are enabling.

Thank you for your comment and discussion! We hope these different options allow you to navigate tech in steps for your child and family.

-Gabb Product Team

Momma_K

Unfortunately, MANY Gabb approved apps have internet access. My son is older, and has let me know with multiple apps, that he can get into the support part of the app and eventually get to google and has access to internet searches. So it's been pretty disappointing that we tried this avenue, only to find that even the "safe and approved" apps are actually not safe :( It's important for parents to know that there are back ways to the internet through many of Gabb apps!

Reagan - Gabb

Hello @Momma_K,

Your post has been merged into this one as others have had similar experiences. Thank you for the post and your concern. Please reference the post above for more information.

Thank you!

-Reagan

question

The topics brought up here from other parents has me curious also. I have built in additional network security on our home Wi-Fi network to prevent something like this from happening on our computer network, so my question is do the gabb phone allow Wi-Fi access? That would resolve the problem when the phone is on the home network, however it doesn't resolve the problem when the are at the mall with their friends or disable wifi. So in that instance Google family would be able to take over for 3rd party apps that have that backdoor. But the question is can the gabb phone integrate with Google family in any way.

Reagan - Gabb

Hi @question,

All of our Gabb Phones including our Gabb Watches have Wi-Fi capabilities for purposes such as Wi-Fi calling, Gabb Music/Gabb Music+ and any additional apps that may require Wi-Fi or data usage.

Google Family is not one of our Gabb Approved apps at this time. You can Request an App through the App Guide on our website.

-Reagan

question

What does request a app mean? Does Gabb support just add the app or is there something vetting process that happens that take time and then the app is added or denied and we are .ade aware of it?

Reagan - Gabb

@question,

Good question. Each request that is submitted to our team goes through a review process. Once an app is submitted, our team will review it for safety. If the app passes our minimum safety standards, it will be made available for Gabb phones with a full review.

There is not a notification when the app is added to the App Store at this time. You can find out Reviewing Criteria on our Gabb App Guide page.

-Reagan

OKAbby

I am so disappointed in Gabb because of this issue of back door internet access. There are known backdoors on various apps. My first issue is why didn't Gabb vet these apps better in a real environment and discover the backdoors prior to calling them "Gabb approved apps". The Gabb approval process is not robust. My second issue is why has Gabb allowed them to continue on their platform after parents pointed out the internet access? How can Gabb purport to be a safe phone for kids with no internet and then offer 3rd party apps that go straight to the internet? (e.g.Blackboard) This is giving parents a false sense of security at best and deceiving them at worst. Hiding behind a disclaimer is weak and I have lost respect for Gabb. How about not allowing apps that have back doors to the internet? Internet browsing with NO guardrails defeats the ENTIRE point of getting a Gabb phone for my child. On the road to offering more access to teens, Gabb has lost their way and undermined their message and alienated their core customer. It would be better to not offer 3rd party apps on the Gabb platform if the apps make the Gabb phone unsafe.

ElizabethJune_98

Personally, I think it's a really good move for Gabb. Things can't always be all or nothing for every single family. There are apps that my kid needs that others might not. Any app that might have a back door access aren't opening up directly to a search bar and even if they did, the phone blocks them. I've talked with gabb and they are always working to find any way a child could find access and block it immediately. Also, if you don't want your child to have the app, don't download it🤷🏼‍♀️

TexasMom1234_56

I am disappointed to learn, after have I purchased a Gabb 4 Pro for my child, that there are numerous backdoors to the internet. I googled "backdoors on Gabb phones to the internet" and found an extensive discussion on Reddit, where children are posting the detailed steps for how to use an "approved app" on their phone, and get onto You Tube or a google browser. The options are endless, and frankly ought to be embarassing for Gabb. I have read Gabb's canned responses to many parents' concerns about this failure, and therefore am NOT asking Gabb to tell me the same thing. My most important question is this: Does the Flagging feature in Gabb's system detect access to pornographic websites (EG sites with nudity of any kind) ? I have turned on every notification possible for flagged content on my child's phone ("Flagged Images", "Flagged video calls", "Links", and "Low/Med/High risk" Text messages. Before giving the phone to my child, I did a test to see what content would warrant a flag notification to me. So far, after sending several graphic and explicit messages to and from the phone, Gabb has Flagged nothing. If the graphic terms I used in my test messages (I used some bad vulgar language) didn't warrant a Flag, I am now wondering if nudity will trigger a Flag? Please explain how the Flagging feature works, because so far, I am really disappointed overall with the phone. There doesn't seem to be any safety barriers for kids, and I am carrying a placebo around thinking I have done anything to limit internet access of my child.

Jhardir

As a concerned parent and advocate for children's digital safety, I want to bring attention to the GAB Phone, a device designed for young children. While the phone's concept is intriguing, I'm alarmed by the types of apps allowed on the platform.

During my research, I discovered that the GAB Phone permits harmful religious apps that promote biased and discriminatory ideologies. These apps are not only inappropriate for children but also contradict the phone's supposed mission of providing a safe and educational environment.

Furthermore, I found that the GAB Phone allows apps like 7-Eleven and shopping apps, which seem unnecessary for young children. Meanwhile, excellent educational apps like Hoopla (a digital library platform) and Pokémon Go (a teacher-approved app promoting physical activity and exploration) are nowhere to be found and are deemed harmful.

It appears that the GAB Phone's app curation prioritizes profit over protection and education. By allowing harmful apps and excluding valuable educational resources, the platform fails to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children.

I urge parents, educators, and advocates to demand better from the GAB Phone and its developers. We must prioritize children's digital well-being and ensure that platforms designed for young minds promote healthy development, inclusivity, and respect for diversity.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Have you encountered similar concerns with other children's devices or platforms?

Hmm...

In our pursuit of inclusivity and diversity, it's important to consider the implications of excluding a religious application based on perceived ideological biases. Additionally, it's worth noting that the phone is designed not only for young children but also for teenagers, who may utilize it for online shopping or to access rewards that can enhance their social experiences, such as dining out with friends. GABB already offers a range of excellent educational apps; however, it's crucial to remember that the primary role of education should be fulfilled by parents and the schools our children attend, rather than relying solely on technology.

BrandonT

I'm guessing that Gabb is aware of this Reddit thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/phonerepair/comments/172np7t/update_how_to_get_apps_on_gabb_phone/

I got cursed out by someone on this thread so we must be making headway parents :)

ChristineT

My sons were playing the Sumo game when a very inappropriate ad appeared with anime women in hardly there clothing. Underwear and breast were showing, hands in skirt, etc. We quickly swiped off the game and are no longer allowed to enjoy the games. I understand the need for ads but is there a way for safe ads in kid games??

Ben36829

I'm glad to know I'm no the only one with concerns and have found the backdoors.

In defense of Gabb, I have found recently that even while accessing the internet through these apps, I cannot access YouTube specifically.

I would like if some other websites such as Wikipedia, a circumvention I've found on Canvas, Seek, the English Dictionary - Offline (it's not truly offline, it links to Wiki Dictionary which can link to Wikipedia which can link to Google).

However, I don't know how all this works with blocking and allowing. I do know that the non-Pro phone has access to far less apps and either only has access to as many as the parent allows. I'm frustrated with the loopholes, but they're doing the best they can at balancing inclusivity with safety. Also, they're only 6-7 years old (founded 2018), fairly young for a company. Also, know that it's way easier to find one crack than looking for every single potential crack and open communication and trust is the best way to keep kids safe. Every individual parent needs to figure out what that looks like.

Meshellugo

i am one frustrated mom - I naively went for the gabb phone for our 13 year old who is specifically not allowed to have socials. That said - it took him getting the Gabb phone to start an Instagram account.

There had to be a website blocking feature - no?!! I have it on my Apple products. Why is this not an option in Gabb?

Parents beware - our kids are smart and gabb tells us to be safe of third party apps without being open about the fact that the specific sites they say they keep kids off of are accessible with a workaround.

gabb - I need to know stat how to block unapproved websites. And gabb - why add these apps to your “approved list” when as a tech company you should be well versed in this back door workaround. I am disappointed - I let Gabb try to “protect us” and yet with all the conversations we had his curiosity got the better of him.

Now I have to back peddle. I will not be recommending this phone to anyone - should have gone flip phone. Shame on Gabb for working parents like this. We paid for better and safer.

MSykes

Audible has an “internet browsing” warning in the App Store, but I can’t seem to find where, in the app, there might be a way to access an internet browser. Has anyone’s kid stumbled upon it? Just trying to stay a step ahead before my kid figures it out.

Stacieorvin

parents, group me has the ability to get into an unfiltered browser! Unlimited access to porn and whatever else. Gabb, you should know this! How could a 14 year old best your tech people? Parents, please disable and uninstall group me on your kids gabb phone. I tried uploading the

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0d3LRXcEFCB2vS7hyJUuat11A

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