---
name: "malcontent-timer-extension-agent"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "malcontent"
version: "0.14.0-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/malcontent-timer-extension-agent"
---

# malcontent-timer-extension-agent(8)

Parental Controls Timer Extension Agent

## NAME

malcontent-timer-extension-agent — Parental Controls Timer Extension Agent

## SYNOPSIS

**malcontent-timer-extension-agent \[-a** bus-address**\]**

## DESCRIPTION

**malcontent-timer-extension-agent is an agent process for deciding** **whether to grant extension requests from child accounts which have screen time** **limits set as part of parental controls.**

**This implementation of the agent process raises a polkit action to allow a** **parent to authorize (or reject) the screen time limit extension request using a** **polkit dialog on the local machine.**

**Other agent implementations may do more complex checks in future. For example,** **by messaging the parent’s phone to allow them to authorize/reject requests** **remotely.**

**malcontent-timer-extension-agent is designed to be run by** **[systemd(1)](/systemd/1.md), being D-Bus activated. There should be no need to run** **malcontent-timer-extension-agent manually. Use** **[malcontent-client(8)](/malcontent-client/8.md) to request screen time limit extensions from the** **command line.**

## OPTIONS

- **-a**, **--bus-address=**

  **Address of a D-Bus message bus to connect to. This is intended for debugging** **use only. (Default: The system bus.)**

- **-t**, **--inactivity-timeout=**

  **Inactivity timeout (in milliseconds) to wait before exiting the service if no** **requests have been made during that period. If set to 0, the timeout is** **disabled and the service will run indefinitely. (Default: 30 seconds.)**

## ENVIRONMENT

**malcontent-timer-extension-agent supports the standard GLib environment** **variables for debugging. These variables are not intended to be used in** **production:**

- *$G\_MESSAGES\_DEBUG*

  **This variable can contain one or more debug domain names to display debug output** **for. The value** *all* **will enable all debug output. The default is for no** **debug output to be enabled.**

## EXIT STATUS

**malcontent-timer-extension-agent may return one of several error codes** **if it encounters problems.**

- 0

  **No problems occurred. The agent ran, responded to zero or more requests, and** **then exited due to being explicitly closed, or timing out due to finishing all** **requests.**

- 1

  **An invalid option was passed to malcontent-timer-extension-agent on** **startup.**

- 2

  **The D-Bus name for malcontent-timer-extension-agent was not available.**

- 3

  **malcontent-timer-extension-agent was run in an inappropriate** **environment, for example as the root user.**

## FILES

- */lib/systemd/system/malcontent-timer-extension-agent.service*

  **[systemd(1)](/systemd/1.md) service file which specifies the runtime environment for** **malcontent-timer-extension-agent. See [systemd.service(5)](/systemd.service/5.md).**

## SEE ALSO

**[malcontent-client(8)](/malcontent-client/8.md),** **[malcontent-timerd(8)](/malcontent-timerd/8.md)**

## BUGS

**Any bugs which are found should be reported on the project website:**\
 *https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pwithnall/malcontent/-/issues*

## AUTHOR

**GNOME Foundation, Inc.** **Philip Withnall**

## COPYRIGHT

**Copyright © 2025 GNOME Foundation, Inc.**