Keeping an Eye on the Child
When parents buy a smartphone for a child, their motivation is clear: they need a connection with the child so that at any moment they can find out if everything is fine and if any help is needed. For a child, any gadget is primarily a toy. But the world of online entertainment will not let you go so easily: a minimum of time will pass and you will have to sound the alarm again, because the baby has plunged into an unfamiliar world where there are so many dangers and threats... Who writes to the daughter, whom the son plays with, what websites do they visit? And all these fears, unfortunately, are justified.
It is possible to clearly separate any websites visited by children, to protect them from potentially malicious content with the help of special mobile applications, the main purpose of which is parental control. They will help caring parents to get off their chests because now the most dangerous areas for the child are under control: everything that the child searches and finds on the Web are subject to monitoring and management.
It is the duty of every parent to ensure the safety of their child, including on the Internet. Fortunately, in our enlightened age, this does not threaten sleepless nights: a good software that takes the child's devices under control will greatly simplify the task. Now your child is protected from any virtual and many real threats around the clock!
These programs have an impressive range of capabilities. Thanks to them, you can:
- Get to know and understand your child better: interests, aspirations and dreams will be reflected in the visited websites in any case;
- Protect the child from unwanted and simply harmful websites by blocking them on the child's devices;
- Track the geolocation of the child at any time to see if everything is all right, and weather the help is needed;
- Establish a clear daily routine thanks to a built-in schedule for using a smartphone, tablet and/or computer;
- Avoid many annoying accidents like unwanted large online purchases;
- Block viral websites and messages of intruders and scammers;
- Set up a "Blacklist" where the unreliable contacts will be placed;
- Save the mental, physical health and eyesight of the child. Unfortunately, there are not many applications that would really satisfy all the wishes of parents and justify their trust. Especially for you, we have collected the top 5 best programs with parental control. Once set up and voila: you are provided with a restful sleep, and the child will get healthy eyes and psyche.
Qustodio
An excellent network filter program that provides full control for several accounts at once. It seamlessly blocks malicious websites regardless of the browser used, and moreover, it limits the time for games and entertainment programs.
The application also provides a wide range of features: filtering calls, adding "dangerous" numbers to the "blacklist", monitoring messages and tracking the location of the gadget. Also, the baby will have the "SOS" button at its disposal, which will notify the relatives in case of danger.
Disadvantages:
- The Russian-language interface is still not available in the application;
- The SOS signal from the child is converted into an e-mail, which the parent can skip.
The app is compatible with Android and iOS. The price for use is relatively high, but the functionality justifies the costs of $8.08 per month and $96.95 per year for monitoring ten devices.
Kaspersky SafeKids
Kaspersky has long been entrenched in the Internet security market, and now they have released a new software that protects children from viruses and malicious websites.
Here is an immortal classic one: an ideal software for parental control, using which the parents can easily adjust the time limit of usage for any application. The paid version provides tracking by GPS-tracker, analyzing the charge level of the smartphone, monitoring activity in social networks (Facebook, VK) and even scheduling the use of the gadget. Moreover, based on all the data, the application itself will make a report that will help to draw a conclusion about the online preferences of a son or a daughter.
Disadvantages:
- When using YouTube and Google, SafeSearch does not ask for permission to use;
- Uploading profiles on social networks is prone to failures.
The application is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems. The cost of the software is relatively small – for $ 4 you can use Kaspersky SafeKids for a month, and an annual subscription will cost only $ 12.
To date, this application is the leader in the market of Parental Control class software. It contains a set of functions that together will allow you to take control of all aspects of the child's interaction with gadgets. The basic set will provide information about the child's current location. The application has gained a special love of users thanks to a component that allows you to set time limits for using not only the gadget in general but also each application in particular.
You will be able to:
- Develop the perfect routine of the child's work in different applications;
- Set a geofence where the kid will be able to use a smartphone and when crossing the borders of which you will receive a notification;
- Gain control over information from calls, SMS, contact log, gallery and 11 social networks and messengers;
- Differentiate and block access to certain content on any resources. The "Child/Parent" mode can be implemented simultaneously on five devices.
One should pay tribute to the developers: despite the fact that the main goal is the safety of the child on the Internet, they have not forgotten about the physical health of the wards! Kroha has two caring modes of operation:
- Night mode neutralizes blue light and its negative effect on vision;
- Eye Protection mode helps the child to keep a distance from the device so that myopia does not develop.
As a result, we consider this application to be flawless, since we have not found any shortcomings.
The application is compatible with Android and iOS operating systems. A license to use it will cost you $2.36 and $11.82 per month and year, respectively. If you plan to use the app on a permanent basis, then you will have to pay $30.4.
More information about the application can be found on the website just type Kroha Parental Control in google.
McAfee Safe Family
A comprehensive software from the world-famous manufacturer of high-quality antivirus allows you to track all the actions of the ward in the device and protect from the harmful effects of the Network's "pitfalls". You can block unwanted applications, grant temporary access to specific programs, and limit the time of the device usage.
Safe Family reports will tell you everything: from the list of places visited to the nuances of usage and time frames. You can also block the child's social media accounts for a while or on a permanent basis, and, of course, track its movements using GPS tracking. In addition, you can program the application for specific scenarios ("Home", "Weekend", "Holiday").
With all the advantages, there are serious drawbacks:
- Not all applications and search queries can be blocked;
- The tracker does not work accurately enough;
- The interface is complicated for beginners.
The program is compatible with both Android and iOS systems, and costs $7.99 and $49.99 per month and per year, respectively.
ESET Parental control for Android
Even the free version of the application will allow you to completely take control of both the program in the child's gadget and the time the child spends at the screen, setting clear limits and prohibitions. The paid version will provide web protection and components for determining the geolocation of the device. ESET Parental control also has a function creating a collection of data about the child's actions with the device for further sending to the parent. The child, in turn, gets access only to the authorized programs and games. The web control function will protect from network threats, and instant remote blocking will cope with distraction and laziness.
The main problems are:
- Mandatory internet connection;
- Sagging on some models with the Android operating system, despite the fact that it only works on this system.
The price for use is average: $2 you will pay for a one month-license, and annual subscription will cost $ 20.23.
Remember the main thing: after choosing the application, tell your child about your decision and discuss the situation. You are not spying on the child, but taking care of him or her, which means you should respect the personal boundaries of your baby.