Inspire HR For kids?

[HollieJL]

My daughter has been bought an inspire HR FIT BIT for her birthday as she wanted all the things I have on my charge3 and not just steps and sleep which is provided on the Ace for kids, but Can I put her Fitbit on my account and her use hers at the same time as mine or do I have to set her up a completely different account as I don’t want her to receive the notifications from my phone etc  I hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance x

[OtherGumby]

Why is resolution to this not obvious to Fitbit, simply allow ANY fitbit device to be enabled for child accounts, not just the ACE 2.  The reality is that the ACE 2 is actually an Inspire (non-HR) when you take off the kiddy band.

[Feedthegoatmbt]

I have an Ionic. I bought an Inspire for my 11-year old. Then I find out what all you found out. All I want to do is swear. At times like this you wonder: Why? What does the engineer who thought up this restriction know that we don’t know? Can s/he tell us? 

The Inspire is going back. The Ace is too young for him. As for what he gets ... no idea. 

[nyev]

Totally agree, the issue we have is not with the legal restrictions on accounts for children.  The issue we have is with the fact that FitBit only allows child accounts for the Ace products, which really are not acceptable for many kids under 13, especially those who want the other features.

I'm guessing this was intentional; that FitBit restricted this for a reason.  Maybe some of those other features don't work well on people younger than 13, and this is the reason for the restriction?  Who knows.  At the very least, FitBit should indicate on packaging that all non-ACE models don't function for kids younger than 13, because that's how they have designed the product.  They shouldn't wait until you've purchased it and then allow you to return it; they are not being transparent about who their products are designed for.

[Currah]

If I'm understanding this correctly the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) has nothing to do with the decision not to empower parents to let their kids use whatever device the parent wants their kids to use, and thereby limit Fitbit from collecting data from it.  Now that Google owns Fitbit why not write a little code that allows customers to handle all the devices the same way they let them handle the Ace.  Why?  BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WANT!  And why not be transparent instead of using COPPA smoke screens?  If you don't want to give customers what they want just be honest and transparent about it - put it on the box (along with "this is a disposable devise" for those models with batteries that can't be replaced).  

[Phil10]

Yes, we have been totally mislead! My kids did not like the looks of the Ace! so we went with the Inspire! 
not happy! 
Fitbit can and should do better! 

[Currah]

The only thing I can think of is that Fitbit decided not to accommodate customers who want to give their post-preschool kids a device without a childish look because they didn't realize so many of their customers value honesty and object to being pushed to set up fake accounts.   The Ace may be more about guarding against accusations that they don't accommodate kids whatsoever then an actual desire to accommodate kids and (honest) parents.  There is some bad leadership making decisions at Fitbit.

[NotVeryFast]

Dear Fitbit, this issue is the worst user experience I've had with a company in years. And the fact that it hasn't been addressed after all of this time shows your lack of empathy for your customers. Have you conducted any user research?

[Tim-Aus]

I fixed the problem by getting a refund.

That was after a lot of research.

[BugsMom425]

I got my son a charge 3. I lied about his age to set up his account.

[Phil10]

Yes, I returned the units for refund too!

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Wizix]

The fix is in their Return policy.

Just return the poorly designed product. And go with another brand. Don't worry about Fitbit feelings, they couldn't care less.

[Phil10]

Yes, that is exactly what I did! Too bad that the leadership does not read these posts! Clearly out of touch with their users!

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[GraMU]

Guys -QQ: As Fitbit limit kids to the Ace range, yet many kids want one of their other products (Inspire etc). Many persons are setting up false (AGE) accounts. A question if your minor does not have an online device, then how can (they/I) manage their (Inspire) ?. So how do I switch between my Ionic and their Inspire on one Device (for instance my phone) ?

[Fernbuck]

Do you have any other online device in your household besides your personal
cell phone

Do you have any other online device is your household besides your personal cell phone?

Moderator edit: merged reply

[GraMU]

I do, but try limit time on same, and none attributed to the kid in question as far as their own account etc. I assume, that is my only option to use the Inspire, as well as my own ionic - I need to set up a separate account for the kid on a different device'?

[MGF12]

My daughter is  8 years old, I was going to to buy the Ace, but she said it very babyish.
Her friends have the inspire, so I bought the Inspire HR. Only one of her friends have the Ace and she is going to leave it for her 5 year old sister, as the watch is too babyish.

I understand the regulation, but you guys should design a watch  appealing for children age 8-13.  The Ace is more for kids under 6. 

[Confusedmum63]

My daughter has my old phone on wi fi

Also discovered we can change her year of birth as she gets older

Sent from my iPhone

[madkangas]

Hi LizzyFitbit,

I'm replying to you since you are the only moderator who has responded to this thread so far.

I am in the same boat as many of the other folks on this thread. I'm happy owner of a Charge 3, my wife purchased a Fitbit Inspire for our son as a gift, I used my existing Android app to create a parent account and a child account, then I hit a brick wall in the user experience because I am unable to add the Fitbit Inspire to the child account

• No explanation within the Android Fitbit app - presents Fitbit Ace as only option
• No explanation on the Fitbit Inspire product packaging or guides
• Then, I find there is no plausible explanation in this forum or anywhere else!

So my question is: why does the Fitbit app prevent me from linking a Fitbit Inspire to a Child account that I have created and approved?

I called customer support today (~1 hr ago) and I received the same explanation you provided earlier: that "our Terms of Service don't allow customers who are under the minimum age." This explanation does not match the letter of your terms of service. Let's read the terms of service for the USA:

https://www.fitbit.com/us/legal/terms-of-service

Section "2. Use of the Fitbit Service" is the only section that mentions age. Its first sentence reads:

"Persons under the age of 13, or any higher minimum age in the jurisdiction where that person resides, are not permitted to access or use the Fitbit Service unless their parent has consented in accordance with applicable law."

Hello, I am the parent and I consent to my child's use of a Fitbit Inspire. Let's proceed. Is there any other section of the Fitbit USA Terms of Service which is applicable in this case? I do not see them.

So, I will ask again: Why does the Fitbit app prevent me from linking a Fitbit Inspire to a Child account that I have created and approved?

Your answer, and the answer provided by the support person I spoke with today, are not supported by the text of the Terms of Service, as best as I can tell. Your answer is incomplete and unsatisfactory to me and, presumably, the many other folks in this thread.

As an otherwise happy Fitbit user, I will be much more likely to recommend your product in the future if you can provide a satisfactory answer. I strongly suspect there is a combination of legal + technical challenges behind the very user-unfriendly barrier you have placed in your app which blocks users from linking most Fitbit devices to Child accounts. While these legal + technical challenges may not presently be possible to overcome, I would appreciate if Fitbit could actually level with us about why this barrier exists and provide better guidance within the app, in product descriptions, and on product packaging to help reduce the likelihood of device purchases that will result in nothing but frustration for the new owners.

Thank you for your time. Now I have to go apologize to my son and wife and somehow explain why he won't get this Fitbit.

[MGF12]

Hi
thank you for the info.
I got the fitbit and I did what most people are doing, add extra 5 year to my daughter ( +13 years old)  as it is the only wrong around. 
I guess all this is due to regulations, also as regulations can be a bit different  between countries, most likely Fitbit support employees are instructed to be as vague as possible, so that way they don't take any risks.

Also as you said some technical challenges.
I don't want to give a phone to my daughters yet ( one is 6 and the other one 8), but you need to have a "phone' per Fitbit, and we have 3 Fitbits at home. I was hopping that I could manage their Fitbit from my phone, at the end I discovered that you can use tablet instead of a phone.

[Currah]

There is no legal restriction with the Inspire that doesn't apply to the Ace.  It is a business decision.