You can trust these parental control apps to be your virtual child minder
As Microsoft rolls out its new Family Safety app, Lounge takes a look at some reliable parental control tools out there
In May this year, Microsoft unveiled a limited preview of its new Family Safety app that was aimed at users looking for more parental control apps. On 28 July, the company finally rolled out the app. The Family Safety app is designed to help users instill healthy digital habits in their children, who are connected to the digital world more than ever before. We take a look at some features of this newly-released app, and three other parental control tools that can come in handy.
Microsoft Family Safety: The app’s name tells you pretty much everything in a nutshell. Using Family Safety, both parents and children can see activity reports that show details on screen time, top websites visited, and terms children have been searching for online. The app also lets parents set time limits for children on games and other apps across Android, Windows and now on the Xbox video gaming console as well. Web and search filters in the app also ensure that children don’t run into adult content or sensitive search results. Available for free on Android and iOS
Safe Lagoon: One of the highlight features of this app is its ability to monitor any suspicious texts that children might be getting on other instant messaging apps. This feature is designed to protect children from cyber-bullying. The app also lets parents monitor their children’s activities on different social media networks. Apart from screen time management features, Safe Lagoon comes with settings that let you block any harmful websites your children might visit unknowingly. Available for free on Android
Kaspersky Safe Kids: This app has both free and premium versions. But there’s still plenty in the free version that makes Kaspersky Safe Kids a useful tool. A new interesting feature lets parents block any harmful YouTube search requests. The app also offers an online content filter, screen-time management features and usage control for other apps. According to cybersecurity company Kaspersky’s official website, the app also lets you see reports on your children’s public Facebook activity, including posts and any newly added friends. Available for free on Android, iOS with in-app purchases.
Google Family Link: This parental control app from Google lets users keep an eye on children’s screen time. It also has an option to lock a device whenever you want your children to spend some time away from screens. Family Link also breaks down the amount of time children have spent on other apps. The live location feature is helpful for when your children are not under direct supervision. As long as their device is switched on and connected to the internet, you can see their live location on the go. Available for free on Android, iOS.
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First Published:30 Jul 2020, 12:00 PM IST
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