How parental controls work on your phone. Parental controls on Android are the best way to limit your child's access to inappropriate content

Many children between the ages of 7 and 14 already have their own smartphone. Responsible parents must independently install a specialized application for parental control. Recently, the German laboratory AV-TEST tested such solutions, checking the effectiveness of the proposed control in everyday use.

Smartphones with Internet: about 30 percent of 8-year-olds already own their own smartphone

A window to the world in the hands of a seven-year-old child. This is perhaps the most succinct description for a smartphone with Internet access. As you know, network gateways serve not only for access to external space, but also for intrusions on the device. Parental control apps on Android are trying to solve just that. this problem- they provide secure routes to the Internet and at the same time close the gate to external threats.

Most smartphones sold in the world run on Android OS. Naturally, the market was forced to respond to this by releasing a large number of specialized applications for providing parental control. Many antivirus solutions for the mobile platform already have a built-in parental control feature. However, there are also separate standalone applications that are designed exclusively for parental controls. AV-Test checked the performance and functionality of 12 various applications. 4 apps are antivirus apps with built-in controls, and the remaining 8 apps are standalone parental control solutions. Products from the following vendors took part in the testing program: Bitdefender, eScan, F-Secure, Kiddoware, McAfee, Mobicip, Net Nanny, Quick Heal, Salfeld, Screen Time Labs, Symantec and Trend Micro.

Popular apps

Lab researchers tested functionality and coverage in addition to measuring filtering performance and detection of unwanted sources. The bottom line is that almost all of the apps we tested did their job just fine. The main difference between them is the additional functions they provide.

While the app does an excellent job of filtering out unwanted sites, that's where its functionality ends.

The main purpose of a parental control app is to sort and block websites and content. To allow your child to view certain websites, you must enter their age immediately after installing the application. In the lab, the researchers specified a fictitious seven-year-old Timmy and customized the app accordingly, such as selecting an appropriate preset profile. There are several ways to filter web content. For example, sites can be precisely identified according to a white list, then the child will be able to visit only authorized sources. The second method is the logical analysis of websites by title and content. To implement such a work algorithm, many applications offer to configure allowed content categories. Depending on the selected profile, the corresponding categories are activated and web resources are classified by applications, after which they block or allow access.

The app uses its own browser to protect children from inappropriate websites.

Over 10,000 sites checked

The test tested robot technology and assessed application logic. To do this, each application had to weed out more than 6,000 sites that were not suitable for viewing by children. As an additional argument, another 4,500 sites with child-friendly content were used to check for false positives. The difficulty of the task is this: a site with a harmless fairy tale is definitely appropriate for children. The car dealership's website is not intended for children, but does not contain any inappropriate content, so it should not be blocked. The researchers paid special attention to studying the application's source analysis logic to ensure that websites are not blocked incorrectly. If such false positives occur quite often, there is a high probability that the child will want to get rid of the parental control system completely. In testing, many apps that were very effective at blocking certain categories, such as Symantec, Quick Heal or F-Secure, also blocked a large number of child-friendly resources. However, the most best apps the second test (for false positives), in particular Mobicip, Kiddoware or Salfeld were less effective at filtering categories.

The Screen Time Labs app didn't do any filtering at all. The product only allows you to block or allow the browser to start. If the smartphone is connected to the network, the application allows you to remotely lock the smartphone using parental controls by using the parent's device, for example.

parental control apps on Android use similar logic and mechanisms for separating sources into appropriate and unwanted ones

Some applications are practically devoid of additional functions

The features built into individual parental control apps vary widely. Very often, search engine protection is enabled (safe search), which is automatically activated by applications. This protection may apply to Google, Bing or Yahoo. Initially search system filters search results containing films, photographs and text content for adults. This function offered by F-Secure, Mobicip, Net Nanny and Symantec.

Many parents want to be able to limit the amount of time they can access the device, surf the Internet, and use apps. These additional features are not found together. 7 of the 12 apps tested offer one of these blocking features, and only Salfeld offers two.

Kiddoware, Screen Time Labs and Symantec allow you to lock your device for a specific period of time. During a lockdown, only Symantec allows you to dial emergency numbers.

Additionally, additional tools include app blocking, Facebook account monitoring, and temporary control of incoming and outgoing calls. But even these features are only partially available in individual applications, as this table illustrates.

from point of view additional functions, most applications are limited

Remote access and management

Almost half of child protection apps offer an online control panel that allows adults to administer devices remotely and also contains a log of recorded activities in an easy-to-read format. Some solutions allow you to track the location of your smartphone using a website. This feature will definitely be useful for locating a lost device.

Web portal app developers also usually offer report or logging features to easily monitor children's activities. These components usually display a list of visited and blocked sites, search history, a list of attempts to launch blocked applications, and an overview of all attempts to violate established rules. Only Screen Time Labs shows how long a device has been in use. In general, reporting and logging functions are only part of several applications.

very few applications record a child’s online activity on a smartphone

Which app is the best?

As such, there is no winner. The application features, as well as their filtering, detection and reporting philosophies, are too varied. Here's advice from testers: the younger the child, the more automated the system for blocking sites and services should be. A child between 7 and 10 years old is not very upset because the site is blocked and continues surfing. Teenagers, on the contrary, perceive the blocking too irritably and try to find ways to bypass the protection. That is why for this age group, researchers recommend creating fewer obstacles, but compensating for this with a more powerful accounting and information system. Parents should also have private conversations with their children about certain content found online.

In the digital age, it is becoming increasingly difficult to protect children from inappropriate content, because today every phone has Internet access. Therefore, developers create applications that make it possible to control the use of the gadget by children. Let's look at how to set parental controls on Android phone, and also configure it correctly.

Important! You can disable the monitoring program only using your parents' login and password. To do this, simply log out of your account and delete the application itself (the child will not be able to do this on his own).

Play Store Parental Controls

Google has built a special function into its proprietary application store that allows you to filter applications.

1. Open Play Store → Settings.
2. Go to " Parental control».
3. Move the slider to the active position.
4. In the “Games and Applications” section, specify the age limit for store programs.
5. In the “Music” Section, block access to songs with obscene language → Save the settings.
   

   Important! The filter will only operate if the performer has indicated the presence of obscene language.

As practice shows, the filter works quite accurately. The only downside is that you can't configure this mode for the device as a whole.

Third Party Applications

Developers create programs that allow you to fully monitor a child’s activities. Let's look at the most functional ones.

Kaspersky Safe Kids

It seems to me that this is the best Russian-language application in this segment. The free version allows you to block programs, websites, track the activity of your phone or tablet, and limit the time they are used. Paid subscription additionally allows you to determine location, track activity on social networks, monitor calls and SMS.

1. Create a My Kaspersky account on the official website.
   
2. Download Kaspersky Safe Kids from Play Store to the child's phone.
3. Launch the utility, select “Child’s phone” and configure it by specifying gender, age and name.
   

   Note! A parent application with similar functions can be installed on an Android device from the Play Store.

4. Go to the utility website by logging into your account → go to the “Children” tab.
   
5. On this page you can:
   

Screen Time

An excellent application in Russian, the functionality of which is enough for full monitoring of the child.

Important! The application is paid, but you can use the demo version. It is provided free of charge for 14 days.

The program is installed on the child's device, as well as the parent's. Through it you can:

• track which programs are launched by the child;
• on which sites it is located;
• how much time he devotes to one activity or another.

The setup is done in the following way:

1. Install the application from the Play Store on the parent's device.
2. Set up the program by specifying “I (the parent) use this device.”
   
3. Go to “Account” → “Pairing codes” (this code is needed to set up the program on a child’s device).
   
4. Install the application from the Play Store on your child’s device.
5. Once it launches, select “This is your child’s device.”
6. During installation, enter the code above → Create a password to access the settings.
   
7. After setting up from your device you will be able to:

Safe Lagoon

Simple and universal application. The interface is intuitive, allowing you to quickly find the required setting.

Almost every child has their own smartphone or tablet, which is a window into a huge, attractive and inviting, but far from harmless, virtual world. Parental control tools will help protect minors from harmful information, as well as limit the time they spend on the Internet and playing games. Today they are being developed not only for desktop computers, but also for mobile devices based on Android.

I suggest you get acquainted with several programs that allow you to filter and block unwanted content, and also have other functions useful for parents.

Google Play Features

The simplest parental control tool is present in Android by default - this is one of the functions Google Play. With its help, you can prevent the installation of applications that are not suitable for the child’s age.

For this:

The “Content filtering settings” list has 3 sections: “Applications and games”, “Movies” and “Music”. As for music with explicit lyrics, access to it can be either completely allowed or prohibited.

In the other two sections there is a gradation by age (rating) - from 0 to 18 years. Choose something that is age appropriate for your child.

Unfortunately, the Russian version of the parent Google control Play does not filter all content that is in the store. For example, it will not prevent a child from downloading a comic or book that contains non-childish information. In addition, this option is ineffective if the child knows how to use a browser, so parents of children over 7-8 years old are better off installing a separate security application - one of those that I will talk about later.

Parental controls from antivirus vendors

Parental control on Android can be organized using an antivirus, which may already be installed on your child’s phone or tablet. Such products include, for example, F-Secure SAFE and Quick Heal Total Security.

There are also separate programs of this class from antivirus manufacturers. They can be used either as a supplement to the main product or on their own. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Safe Kids is available in paid and free versions.

Among its functions:

• Web content filtering.
• Search filtering (allows you to exclude sites with unwanted content from search results).
• Lock your device in set time(excluding calls).
• Determining geographic location (the parent can find out where the child is).
• Monitor device usage and send reports to your phone or email parent.

The app is easy to set up and easy to use. All the main ways to protect children's safety are present in it. It is suitable for monitoring both teenagers and young children. But you can use it only by mutual agreement, since it does not have protection against uninstallation: if the child objects to the restrictions, he will delete the program without any problems.

Norton Family parental control (Symantec)

Norton Family has almost the same set of features as the Kaspersky product. And also available in paid and free options.

IN free version available:

• Function for monitoring website visits (logging).
• Web content filtering.
• Immediate warning of parents about unwanted actions of the child.

The paid version additionally includes the ability to selectively control access to applications, create a report on device usage for 90 days, and receive weekly or monthly summaries by email about the time your child spends on the device and the activities on it.

Unlike SafeKids, Norton Family has deletion protection, but some particularly cunning teenagers still manage to disable it.

The range of possibilities is somewhat wider. Available in the free version:

Additional functionality More suitable for parents of younger schoolchildren who are away from home for a long time.

Standalone parental control apps

Perhaps one of the most functional and flexible parental control tools, but paid (from $5.95 per quarter).

Among its features:

• Safe search in all popular browsers.
• Individual settings for blocking sites (black and white lists).
• Limit web surfing by time (you can create a schedule for every day of the week).
• Remote control settings and rules (from an adult’s smartphone).
• Limiting the time you can use the device.
• Reports on the child’s online activity (time and content of sites visited, search queries).
• The ability to allow or deny a child access to certain content in real time.
• Hiding applications not intended for use by children (customizable individually).
• Blocking applications based on operating time.

Despite the abundance of features, SafeKiddo is quite simple to use. In addition, it can be used to control several children, using separate rules for each.

Kids Zone Parental Controls

Kids Zone Parental Controls are useful for creating separate profiles for children on a device used by an adult. The program is intended mainly for children. Available in free and paid versions.

With Kids Zone you can:

• Create an individual profile on your phone or tablet for each child, set their personal wallpaper on their desktop. Children's profiles will only display apps that you allow.
• Protect program settings from changes using a PIN code.
• Limit the time you use the device.
• Block outgoing calls and SMS.
• Deny Internet access.
• Prohibit downloading and installation of programs from Google Play and other sources.
• Block access to device settings and personal data of the parent's account.
• Monitor children's use of the device.
• Remove the lock by pressing one button (when you need to answer a call).

The only inconvenience of Kids Zone is that it is not translated into Russian. But in all other respects it is quite good.

With the advent of new technologies, new problems have arisen. Today, every schoolchild has some kind of gadget: phone, tablet, smartphone, PSP, computer. Every caring parent tries in every possible way to protect their baby from the negative effects of electromagnetic waves, as well as adult games, films and web pages.

Blocking inappropriate content for children

Limit the time your child spends at the computer or in front of the TV. Set up parental controls on your PC to check the launch of programs, applications and browsers. Block channels on your TV that you think are having a negative impact on your child's mental health. To limit the capabilities of phones and tablets, turn on parental controls on Android devices. Let's take a closer look at how to do this.

Google company, developing operating software Android systems, offers more and more parental control options for devices. If your tablet or phone is equipped with a system no older than Android 5.0 Lollipop, then you can set a ban on exiting a specific application. To set a restriction, go to “Settings”, find the “Security” item and select “Screen Pin”. In the "Advanced" tab, enter a password. Go to the application, hold down the “Browse” button to display active programs and move the game you opened to the top. Click on the paperclip in the lower right corner. Now you can give the gadget to your child with confidence, since it will not go beyond the program you have attached. To exit it, press “Browse” and enter the specified password.

Restrict access for the user through “Settings”

Android tablets have a feature of limited profiles that protect all personal information from intrusion by unwanted subscribers. This is a great way to protect your child from dangerous content. Open Settings, select Add User, and select Restricted Profile. Now you can choose which software will be available to your baby and which will be hidden. In order to remove limited account, enter password.

Setting up Internet access

The parental control feature also applies to the router. If your child uses only a home access point, you can configure the router to limit work with certain resources global network. Is your modem not equipped with parental controls? Go to the OpenDNS server and you will be able to set up controls for the network.

In addition, there is additional software for prohibiting and limiting work in the browser of a phone or tablet. You can find them on Google Play.

Limited Google Play

Google Play itself also supports parental controls. To prevent your child from downloading games or applications onto the phone that could harm him, go to the “Settings” of the store itself and select “Parental Controls”. Enter your password and set age restrictions for content. You can also block the ability to buy expensive goods through the Google store.

Dedicated parental control apps

In addition to personal settings of your phone or gadget, there are a large number of different programs for parental control.

For example, Xooloo App Kids is a launcher that creates a special desktop with shortcuts to games available for children. Personal information is protected by a four-digit password.

"Parental Controls - PlayPad" will develop and entertain the child without endangering him. After the initial setup of the program, your child will see a colorful menu with four icons: “Games”, “Training”, “Development”, “Other applications”. The parent himself fills these folders with the necessary programs. You can also remove the ability to make calls and send messages - the application will make the call buttons and SMS chat windows unavailable. It is advisable to note that the little rascal will have access to the function of changing the desktop style and the drawing board provided by the creators of the application.

An application similar in functionality "KidRead" also has a division into categories for software. Its distinctive advantage is the gaming interface: the child earns points for the time spent in educational applications and spends them in games. "KidRead" is equipped with a timer for counting time and scoring.

For the program "Time Away" also need to pay attention. It is designed for school-age children and has more advanced functionality. Install “TimeAway” on your children’s phones and your device (up to six users), set a password and remotely manage all your children’s applications. Regulate the operating time of games, set the device's sleep period, necessary breaks, and block certain software or phones with one click of a button. This program also provides statistics on the utilization of programs on a tablet or smartphone, as well as the ability to track the child’s location using Google maps.

We've covered everything possible ways protecting children from the harmful effects of Android device software. The above device setup for children’s access to adult content is more suitable for parents’ phones and tablets. Special programs parental control - for children's gadgets. Which one is right for you personally, decide for yourself. Extend your child's childhood by protecting him from harmful information and cruel games.

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Why do you need parental controls on Android? Here's a quick guide to setting up parental controls and restrictions on , so you can protect your children and prevent unauthorized spending from your child's bank account.

Children these days are becoming more technologically savvy and Even a preschool child can easily use an Android smartphone for personal purposes. However, you won’t even know what he did on it.

note

Present on the network great amount prohibited, harmful and simply anti-social content that targets children and teenagers. In addition, there are many paid applications, which are not worth spending money on without the knowledge of adults.

But you don't have to live in fear. Now we will show you how to create user profiles for children and set appropriate restrictions k for each user mobile device using the appropriate controls.

First of all, you should pay attention to the Family Link program from Google, 2018. This is a newly released app that the developers say will help you set some digital rules for both pre-teens and teens. You can use it to create a Google account for your child, manage the apps they use, and monitor screen time (the number of hours the device is actively used). The child does not need to know about the presence of such a program and established supervision; parental control on Android can be easily installed when the child is sleeping.

The app can currently only be used on Android devices version 7.0 or lower. The program only works for children under the age of 13, although there is no lower age limit, but older teenagers will quickly figure out what's what. But here you can compromise and for an older person simply create a separate account with fewer restrictions, for example, only for bank accounts and cards.

Will be useful

Family Link blocks all materials that are offensive and indecent to the younger generation. It's just another tool you can use in your efforts to provide parental controls on Android and keep your kids safe online.

Parental control on an Android phone, how to install it, is described below in a detailed guide.

• Download the Family Link app on your device using the Play Store.
• Launch the application and click "Start".
• Click Start on the Set Up Family Link screen, then follow the prompts to get to Settings.
• Enter the settings menu.
• You'll need to answer a few questions about whether your child has a compatible device and that you want to create an account for your child as part of a family group.
• Enter your child's first and last name and click Next.
• Enter your birthday and gender, then Continue.
• Select your Gmail.com username (name account) and click "Confirm".
• Enter your password and click Next.
• Accept the "User Agreement", then add the number bank card, from which Google will be able to withdraw $0.01 one-time (with your permission) as a donation to charity for children raised in orphanages.

Now it's time to add the account to your child's device. and sign in using your account details. Then enter your own Google password and click Next. The Family Link will now be installed on your child's device.

It is important to know

All applications that were initially pre-installed on your smartphone will be available to your attention, and you will be given the choice to configure the appropriate restrictions for each, i.e. whether a toddler or teenager is allowed to run them.

Don't be surprised when you see that YouTube It has limited access– initially this application is considered “potentially dangerous”, because Google cannot online check all the video content that is loaded into the system, and at the same time there may be an obscene video that will have a bad effect on the child.

Remote restriction

By installing this application on another phone in the same way and logging into the same account with the password you wrote down earlier, you will see the corresponding settings, but for the child’s gadget. You can easily implement the necessary restrictions using appropriate filters, tracking the geoposition of the smartphone and the active operating time of the device.

note

It is necessary to set up a child’s smartphone without his knowledge, or at least in his presence, but without going into the details of your manipulations. This program is not a "bank vault" and can be removed just as easily as installed if you know what you're looking for.

Having completed all the settings, return the device to the child; all established restrictions are already fully functioning and in permanent online mode (respectively, if there is an active Internet connection).

Individual account

We'll look at parental controls on an Android phone and how to set up an individual account next.

Will be useful

Creating a personal account for your child is necessary if your child will often use your phone or tablet, for example, while you are away, while waiting in line for a long time while shopping, or outside the doctor's office.

To carry out this operation, we will consider an example of the most common Android Nougat operating system. Don't be upset if you have a different OS version, The process of setting up and installing an individual account is very similar in almost all versions. Another nuance is that the “User” option may not be initially detected, in which case you should look for it in the security submenu.

Step-by-step instruction:

This completes the creation of a new account with certain restrictions for your child.

How to restrict content in the Play Store?

If a child still has to periodically use an adult’s smartphone, but at the same time it is necessary to limit his ability to download applications from the Play Store, you can simply restrict access to the store. Sign in to your Google account. Next, launch the Play Store app (while still logged into your primary user account on your phone or tablet) and tap the “hamburger” button, the three-horizontal-line slide-out menu button at the top left.

A menu drop-down list will open. this application. Scroll down and tap Settings, then move down the list until you see Parental Controls. Click on this item. You will need to create a PIN. Enter this twice.

Now that this setting enabled, simply tap one of the app's settings categories to specify how severe the feature restrictions should be for each one. If the restrictions relate to applications and games, on the contrary you will see numbers related to age. For example, press PEGI 7 - this is a child between four and seven years old.

Now the child will have to ask permission to buy, because without secret code it will be simply impossible to complete the purchase,

The Play Market is far from the main platform where you can download interactive applications and games. The Internet is full of sites that offer analogue applications, but they themselves look like an exact copy of the original trading platform. Such resources are called, which can also be blocked.

Repeat the previous steps and exit to main screen and go to Settings again. Find the Security section (called Security & Fingerprint on our phone), tap it, and then make sure the Unknown Sources switch is turned off.

Devices with better parental controls

Android devices are the undisputed king of parental controls. It's not that Android's built-in parental controls are actually that good, but operating system allows developers to truly access the system deeply and impose appropriate restrictions.

Not all Android devices equal in level of protection of the younger generation from access to unwanted information. Every smartphone manufacturer strives to create something unique and inimitable. However, if you want to buy a phone that already has an emphasis on parental controls, then Nexus and Motorola devices are closest to the ideal. But parental control on them is not limited to this short list of models for Android.