Microsoft has acknowledged a significant issue affecting its Family Safety parental control service, which has been preventing users from launching Google Chrome and other web browsers on Windows systems. This situation has garnered attention following numerous user reports since early June, with many experiencing difficulties in accessing Google Chrome, including unexpected crashes.
Understanding the Issue
The Family Safety service is designed to assist parents in monitoring their children’s online activities across both desktop and mobile devices. It offers features such as screen time management, content filtering, app controls, location tracking, communication monitoring, and activity reports. However, a bug within the web filtering tool has led to complications, prompting children to seek parental approval before using alternative browsers.
As Microsoft elaborated in a recent Windows release health update, the underlying issue is that while the blocking mechanism remains functional, new versions of previously approved web browsers are inadvertently being blocked. This means that when a browser updates, the latest iteration cannot be accessed until it is added to the block list by Microsoft. The company is currently in the process of updating this list to include the latest versions of Google Chrome and other browsers.
Current Workarounds and Future Fixes
Reports indicate that when children attempt to open these browsers, they may shut down unexpectedly. The standard procedure is for the system to prompt a parental approval message, indicating that permission is required to use the app. Once consent is granted, the browser should function normally. However, this issue has been observed specifically when the Activity reporting feature is disabled.
This known problem affects devices operating on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 22H2 or later. In the interim, Microsoft advises users to enable the ‘Activity reporting’ feature within the Windows settings of Microsoft Family Safety. This adjustment will ensure that parents receive the necessary approval requests as intended.
Microsoft has stated that it is actively working to resolve two primary concerns: the absence of parental consent prompts and the unintended temporary unblocking of the latest browser versions following updates. The company remains committed to addressing these issues promptly to enhance user experience and parental control functionality.
