Bloom Card Review Highlights Persistent App Blocking Issue, Raising Concerns for Employee Device Management
What Happened – ZDNet tested two screen‑time management cards, Brick and Bloom. Bloom’s app‑based scheduling is praised for ease of use and lower price, but the reviewer found that the device continued to block apps after the scheduled “un‑lock” period, undermining its purpose.
Why It Matters for TPRM –
- Devices that enforce personal‑use policies can interfere with legitimate work‑related app access.
- Unintended over‑blocking may create productivity gaps or trigger support tickets.
- Lack of granular control or audit logs makes it hard to verify compliance with corporate device‑use policies.
Who Is Affected – Enterprises that provision personal‑use restriction hardware for employees (e.g., wellness programs, BYOD policies) across any industry; particularly firms in PROF_SERV and TECH_SAAS that emphasize employee productivity.
Recommended Actions –
- Review any contracts or procurement records for Bloom Card or similar “screen‑time” hardware.
- Validate that the vendor provides configurable block windows, audit logs, and an easy override mechanism for business‑critical apps.
- Conduct a pilot test with a cross‑functional team to assess impact on workflow before widescale rollout.
Technical Notes – The Bloom Card uses a Bluetooth‑linked app to enforce time‑based app blocking on Android/iOS devices. No CVEs or known vulnerabilities were disclosed, but the persistent blocking behavior suggests a design flaw in the scheduling logic. Source: ZDNet Review