Children are mastering smartphones, tablets, and new technologies to perfection at increasingly younger ages. They can install apps and use search engines for anything that comes to their minds. However, there are phrases that children should not be typing. Surely, many parents wouldn't want their kids stumbling upon adult websites. It's worth knowing that there's a solution called parental control, and it's absolutely not about any complex surveillance tools. Let's see how to manage what our children do online. How should parental control on a phone look?
What is parental control? Do you check what your child is doing on their smartphone or tablet?
If a child has a smartphone, they often also have unlimited internet access. However, it's precisely this "lack of restrictions" that we should and can often control. That's what parental control is all about. With the right settings, we can disable specific apps and games. Of course, those that are not suitable for our child. Blocking can also be set for specific websites, especially those intended for audiences 18+.
There is content online that children should definitely not be exposed to. It's much better to ensure they don't find out about certain things on their own, especially from strange and uncontrolled sources. It's worth knowing that parental control is available for both Android and iOS devices. Below, we'll guide you on how to set it up on smartphones and tablets.
Parental control and Android – a few tips on how to set it up
Android smartphones are also very popular among children. There are many budget-friendly models on the market; it's easy to find a device for around 500 Polish złoty. This is a good solution when we want to buy a child's first phone. The functionality at this level should be satisfactory, and parents can maintain easy contact with their child.
However, it's important to remember that an Android smartphone offers access to the vast Google Play Store with apps, games, and other content. Undoubtedly, many children's eyes light up when they see these resources. However, not every app is suitable for a teenager or a younger child.
The store also has paid content. It's important to remember, among other things, in-game microtransactions. The smartphone's functionalities include, of course, an internet browser – here, the child also has a lot of room to explore, but so do the parents! Let's find out, then, what parental control on an Android phone looks like?
Enabling it is very intuitive. On the child's smartphone, go to main settings, then to Google account. There you will find the "Parental control" tab. Proceed further and set: "A child or teenager will use this device." Then, select the child's Google account (we will be able to supervise it). Once we've clicked through all the options, all that's left is to set up filters. We can ensure that the child cannot install any app without our knowledge.
For parental control on an Android phone to work fully, the guardian should configure their own device. First, you need to install the Google Family Link app. From its interface, we can manage the child's phone. Here, we can set, among other things, the time limits for smartphone usage and check its location. It's worth knowing that this solution is free.
Parental control and iPhone and iPad – it's possible
Parental control is also available on iPhones and iPads. In this case, we'll have to click through a few settings. On the child's iPhone, go to Settings, then to the "Screen Time" tab. Here, we have a lot of room for maneuver. We can adjust:
- Content and Privacy Restrictions;
- Blocking purchases in iTunes and the App Store;
- Choosing built-in features and apps to use – for example, if we don't want our child to use FaceTime, we can temporarily block it;
- Blocking adult content and content with specific ratings in iTunes and the App Store, e.g., the child will not see apps intended for 18+ or apps with specific ratings (below a selected number of stars);
- Blocking adult content on websites;
- Limiting Siri's functionality for searching content on the internet – for example, Siri will not react to swear words;
- Restricting the Game Center app – kids love playing on smartphones, but we can block the option of online multiplayer gaming or recording video and audio during gameplay.
As you can see, smartphones offer extensive parental control capabilities. If the system solutions don't satisfy us for some reason, we should look for other options in the Google Play Store or App Store. Third-party apps and parental control don't always go hand in hand. They may not be well-optimized, or the Polish language might not be available. However, it's always worth testing different options – after all, our child should use their smartphone safely, without exposing their psyche to age-inappropriate content.
