How does a surrogate parent to watch over your kid at all times sound? Exciting, right? In this tech era, where your child cannot wait till morning to send a text or update their Facebook status, a second pair of able hands offers much relief.
When your child accesses the internet via their smartphone, they are susceptible to all forms of online dangers from online predators to cyberbullying and malicious content. You ‘can’t access your ‘child’s activities at all times. Parental controls are your ideal go-to solutions.
If you are worried about your kid’s safety online, parental controls will give you peace of mind. The best parental control app restricts your child from accessing inappropriate websites and obscene content. It blocks questionable apps, tracks their location at all times, and limits screen time.
There are tons of parental control apps for Android in the market, and it can be daunting to pick the ideal app for your kid. So how do you choose one? ‘We’ve done the Heavy lifting for you and offer a comprehensive review of each app to help you make the right choice.
1. Qustodio
Qustodio is efficient parental control software which is compatible with a variety of platforms including Windows, Android, Mac OS X, iOS, Kindle, and Nook. It has a modern, intuitive design and is ideal for parents on the go.
You get to monitor the activities of all connected devices, including time spent on Instagram or Twitter. Qustodio can block games or apps, set time limits, filter out malicious sites, and track text messages.
It has a variety of customization options to help you manage devices of kids of different ages.
The only thing Qustdio cannot do is monitor apps offline. ‘You’ll need a reliable internet connection. Also, Facebook monitoring is restricted, and you can monitor communication on Android devices only.
2. Norton Family Premier
Norton is a powerhouse in the field of antivirus software and a leading program in monitoring and restricting your ‘child’s behavior online. It packs a ton of easy to manage features in an easy to navigate intuitive interface. The excellent cross-platform support Windows, Android, and iOS. Norton is ideal for households with many kids.
Some of its notable features include robust web filtering which allows you to block age-inappropriate sites. It also filters search engine results for inappropriate content. Norton lets you monitor your ‘child’s social media activities and enables you to set time limits and shut down devices at specific hours or days.
You can track your ‘child’s location, plus there is no limit on the number of devices you can monitor. Norton, however, provides limited support for iOS and is entirely not compatible with Mac. Its social media tracking can also use some improvement.
3. Kaspersky Safe Kids
Kaspersky Safe Kids is one of the leading parental control software supporting Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. But it offers a ton of top-tier sophisticated features for iOS devices. Once you set up Kaspersky on your ‘child’s smartphone, it automatically enables age-appropriate settings.
What sets it apart is the VPN configuration with an additional PIN restriction. You can monitor your kid’s activities on social media platforms like Facebook. Track calls and messages and block any numbers on Android only. Kaspersky Safe Kids also allows you to set time limits for online interaction.
You receive location alerts and real-time notification thanks to its advanced geofencing capabilities.
4. McAfee Safe Family
McAfee Safe Family is one of the most powerful parental control software and supports Android, iOS, and Windows. This reliable parental application packs a host of controls and features with a lot to offer its users.
It lets you keep tabs on your ‘child’s activities at all times. And you receive a phone alert every time your child engages in suspicious online activity.
Filter and block intrusive apps thanks to McAfee Safe Eyes Internet Filter application. You can monitor the amount of time your child spends online and set time limits. You also receive a comprehensive report on how your child spends their time online, including their location at all times.
A significant drawback with McAfee Safe Family is its software functionalities which are dependent on the browser. It is also not robust with iOS devices.
5. FamilyTime
In search of an effortless parenting aide? Say hello to a digital parenting app that is 100% effective and fun. Manage your little ‘one’s screen time, block apps, and know their whereabouts with just a tap on your phone. With instant panic alerts, your kids can reach out to you when in danger. The future of smart digital parenting is FamilyTime.
If you want your kids to focus on their study hours, FamilyTime allows you to limit screen time on their devices so that they can concentrate on their work.
The web is a minefield of inappropriate content; put it on the leash with the robust internet filtering features that allow you to block inappropriate content, apps, and games. The FamilyTime cell phone tracker will enable you to find out where your kids are at the moment.
The only downside is FamilyTime ‘doesn’t offer web content filtering. Plus some of the features do not work as expected.
6. NetNanny
NetNanny allows you to track your ‘child’s online activities and protect them from online harassment. NetNanny gives you a comprehensive activity report of what your child is doing online. Since NetNanny is cloud-based, you can access it from whichever location and receive regular updates and notifications of your ‘child’s online activities.
You can filter content online and block websites with offensive content. NetNanny also tracks your ‘child’s social media activity and emails. It restricts downloading and playing of games without your approval. You can also track the amount of time your child spends on the web. Its powerful filters keep out pornographic content or profane language by screening out specific keywords.
However, NetNanny is not very effective on iOS devices, and it still needs to tighten its grasp on monitoring social media platforms.
Final Note:
Are you a vigilant parent who wants to keep an eye on their ‘child’s online activities? Parental control software is your ideal solution. You no longer have to worry about your kid’s safety online when using their smartphone.
These Android parental controls ensure your kid is safe online anywhere anytime. Teen forums are teaching kids on how to get around parental controls using sneaky tactics. Ensure your kids do not know about the ‘app’s login details and create alerts for any software workarounds or vulnerabilities.