Edgar Cervantes/Android Authority
TL;DR
- The reported Google Family Link bug is blocking outgoing calls on supervised devices, while incoming calls and messages still work normally.
- Some users have found temporary solutions, such as turning supervision on and off, but these fixes are inconsistent and not available for accounts under 13.
- The issue has raised security concerns as it can prevent emergency calls, and Google is reportedly aware of the problem and working on a fix.
Google’s Family Link is supposed to give parents a sense of control and more importantly, peace of mind over how their children use their smartphones. But right now, it’s doing exactly the opposite for some users.
A large number of parents are reporting a bug that prevents kids from making outgoing calls on supervised devices. This issue first surfaced in a Reddit post by user adnolbmdWho shared a screenshot of an error message, which read: “Calls cannot be made through system parental controls. Try using a different call redirecting app or contact the developer for help.” According to the post, both of their children have been affected. While their phone, in this case the Samsung Galaxy A16, can still receive calls and messages properly, outgoing calls are completely blocked.
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Other users also expressed similar experiences and suggested that this is not an isolated glitch. a guardian Claimed they managed to fix it temporarily by turning off supervision and then going through the Family Link app. The process involves navigating to the child’s profile, going into account settings, and manually stopping supervision before re-enabling it.
Unfortunately, that solution isn’t available to everyone. Parents who manage accounts for children under 13, probably the group that needs these safeguards most, don’t have the option to simply turn off supervision. For them, the only solution is to completely delete the account and start fresh. This is really absurd.
Still, results are inconsistent. Some users report success, but many say that no matter what they try, the problem persists. same complaint The issue has also come up on Google’s support forums, where a parent reported a most worrying result. Their child will not be able to dial emergency services if needed; This alone makes it a much more serious issue.
Right now, the situation looks like a patchwork of half-baked solutions. Fixes being shared in forums and Reddit threads may work for some people, but they aren’t reliable. Asking parents to delete and recreate accounts to restore basic calling functionality is hardly a reasonable question. The only degree of assurance comes from a reddit commenter Which claims that Google support is aware of the problem and is working on a fix. Hopefully, that improvement will come sooner rather than later.
Until then, parents are left in a frustrating limbo, relying on trial-and-error solutions for something as basic as making a call.
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