Category: Parental Controls

The use of a parental control app and is our preferred recommendation for parents seeking complete protection for children on their phones and tablets.  It provides monitoring for both IOS Apple and Android devices.  It goes to work immediately to filter and block access to bad websites, as well as monitor social media.

Much more than a phone location tracker, the right parental control app download provides a variety of features to monitor and restrict internet usage and control the use of apps being downloaded. Parents can easily customize settings according to each family member’s age.

Parental Control Download

With parental controls installed on mobile devices (including iPads) parents will be notified of potential harm to their child online  24/7:  Download Here

For parental control solutions for desktop computers and laptops (as well as mobile devices) explore parental control software

The Need for Parental Controls

Today, parents have a lot of keep track of online.  Kids are active on gaming platforms, social media, multiple search engines, YouTube and chat rooms many parents don’t know about.   On the other side of a child’s online access are potentially secret friends, cyberbullies, viruses, malware, ransomware and child predators.

Thankfully, the app does the work for parents so that they don’t have to relentlessly monitor their child’s online activity 24/7.  It works right away to filter and block access to bad websites.  Still, within the parental control dashboard parents have complete control to customize settings according to each family member’s age.

The Power of Parental Control Apps

Gone of the days of a single computer in the family room where kids go online under the watchful eyes of mom and dad after dinner.  Couples and single parents still needed to be extra invigilate but control was still achievable. Then came mobiles phones that put the world wide web in everyone’s pocket.

These days, the internet is readily available to young finger tips on bedroom computers, lap tops, tablets and smart phones. Within the last decade social media has only multiplied the challenges of what kids see and hear online, including exposure to toxic friendships and the risk of cyberbullying.

Schools can set up internet controls and blocking on their servers but for homes it’s not possible to implement a blanket approach to online safety without an app installations.  For home use, it is relatively simple to install parental controls on multiple devices for instant protection against explicit web content.

Parental Control Features:

From it’s creation, phone monitoring apps have evolved to handle all of today’s obstacles to safety. It continues to be updated to respond to new technology and trends that kids gravitate to.  Unless automatic monitoring and restrictions are in place, these hot spots expose young children and teens to new and unwanted content before most parents even know about them.

The internet offers a wealth of education and opportunity for kids, but many parents worry about the dangerous side of the online world—namely, the opportunity for their kids to stumble across inappropriate content or unsafe websites.

Or a child may unknowingly reveal private information to a stranger. This is where a few all in one parental monitoring apps come in handy. Some of these apps are free, while others employ more parental controls in an app as well as on desktop.

These apps were designed with parents’ concerns in mind to help you keep your kids safe online.

1. FamilyTime

This is the app blocker that blocks all those other distracting apps that steal your family time.  It’s parental control at your finger tips that filters the internet, manages content and usage on iPhones, Andriods and tablets. You can set the time limits you want for bedtime usage and during homework time.  Additional features include monitoring your child’s cell phone texts, their contacts, phone logs, all while knowing their location.  In addition to internet browsing restrictions for home use, this app has developed robust controls for schools to ensure kids are protected on all devices in their classrooms.

Download FamilyTime parental controls for Android and iOS at home

School administrators, download parental controls for schools

2. Covenant Eyes

This app offers basic monitoring of your kids’ smartphone activity with the added feature of having accountabilities partners to help you stay away from pornographic websites. You can also view your family’s account using the Covenant Eyes parent dashboard and set levels of freedom according to age and times of day.  It idea is that if kids know you are going to get an alert if they visit a bad website, it will give them the freedom to explore online and learn how to make good decisions.  Covenant Eyes has been providing parental controls since before apps where even a thing and today you can download it according to your family needs.

Create your Covenant Eyes account for iOS devices or Android

3. Qustodio

Qustodio provides parental controls on all devices, not just phones and tablets. It is the all-in-one parental control app and software with a focus on digital well being, including screen addiction prevention via the setting of time limits and ensuring a better sleep schedule.  In addition to filtering access to online content and monitoring activity on any device, this program allows parents to track calls and SMS for Android devices.   On both iPhones, Androids and tablets, you can locate family members at any time as long as they have their iPhone or Android device. There is also an SOS feature, which enables your kids to instantly notify you of trouble.  

Download for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iPhone/iPad, Kindle

4. Parentaler

Parentaler is the single download that can handle parental monitoring and filtering of the web for both Apple and Android mobile devices.  You can block websites and specific apps, set usage time limits for each child, and customize age-appropriate settings according to each child’s level of maturity. Of course, all porn is blocked outright, regardless of age.  The geo-fence setting ensures you are notified if one of your kids is not where they should be.  And at any time, you can check their location to see where they are when on route from point A to point B.  Parentaler filters and monitor the web, as well as online social media connections, to give parents peace of mind around the clock.

Download for Android and iPhone

5. KidzSearch Internet Filtering

Sometimes something as simple or harmless as a misspelling can result in a search result gone afoul. Instead of letting your kid use Google.com for searches, KidzSearch automatically filters Google to remove inappropriate content and unsafe websites. It also blocks misspellings of words that could lead a child to a bad website. With this app, your kids can use the internet as they typically would, and the parental filter helps keep them safe. This is the same filtering being used on our website Safe Search Kids, only through an app for mobile devices. Whether on our site or through the app, use of this internet filtering service is free.

Download the KidzSearch App for iOS devices or Android devices

KidzSearch also available on Kindle Fire / Amazon

6. FamiGuard Android Monitoring

This app was designed with a focus on keeping kids safe on Android phones.  It has everything you need to monitor your kids’ Android smartphone activity, viewing phone files, recording and filtering phone calls, to monitoring over 30 apps including WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, SMS, and more. It’s easy to use and there’s no need to root the target device.  Block bad websites, set time limits and no remotely monitor the current and past location of any family member without detection.  

Download the Parental Control App for Andoird

7. Kaspersky Safe Kids

This app has everything you need to monitor your kids’ smartphone activity, from blocking access to adult content and suspicious search results, to monitoring app usage and setting device screen time limits and GSP location tracking.  Enjoy peace of mind thanks to award-winning parental controls that provide protection for kids both online and offline. The Kaspersky Safe Kids also offers tips from psychologists on how to teach kids about the dangers present online and how to take proper precautions.

Download the Kaspersky Safe Kids app for iOS and Android devices

With a few parental control monitoring apps on your phone, you can always oversee your kids’ online activity. And remember, for these apps to work, you and your kids should have reliable internet access on your phones.

Setting up a hotspot will keep your child connected so you can use these apps and monitor their whereabouts and online searches any time you need.

Consider running a speed test as you’ll want to make sure you get at least 10 Mbps from your internet connection (more if you use a lot of devices in your home).

Once your apps are installed, you can feel more at ease with your kids’ online activity.

Victoria Schmid enjoys writing about technology for the “everyday” person. She is a specialist in online business marketing and consumer technology. She has a background in broadcast journalism.

Technology has brought out both the good and bad in society. We can, however, deploy measures to curb the harmful part. As adults, we are afraid of malware attacking our iPhones. For our kids, it’s another story altogether.

We can’t always control what may lurks around the corner with just one simple click on a seemingly safe website. Others may be following the advice of their friends who just told them about a cool website or page. As a parent, you can equip you computers and smart phones with tools that block access to bad parts of the internet.

To prevent our kids from viewing inappropriate content, or talking to strangers, we need parental control applications.  Here are some resources you can research and use to control your kid’s iPhone activities.

1: FamilyTime (Home and for Schools)

Whether your kids use many ways to interact with their friends, or they only access a few favorite apps, FamilyTime is easy to use for parents managing multiple devices in their home.  Text, calls, social media apps, and even a child’s contacts are easily accessible. This helps parents be proactive about potential problems with friends, including cyberbullying.

You can activate SafeSearch on Google and other search engines, in addition to relying on a web filter that blocks harmful content. FamilyTime is also an advanced geo-fencing app alerting parents when their child leaves a particular zone that’s been set up. This can include school, the mall, the playground or a friends house.

The family locator shows a map of where all of your family members are at any given time.  Relatives, babysitters, and spouses who are taking care of your children can be given free access to the app’s monitoring and control features while you are way. 

The FamilyTime app also provides the ability to also provide parental controls to schools on a mass scale. From single classrooms, to an entire school, teachers and administrators can monitor, control, filter and manage usage of multiple student devices just like parents do at home.   

2. Covenant Eyes Accountability

Covenant Eyes is a parental control app and software for iPhone that is marketed to faith based groups. It focuses on helping families and individuals who have a desire to resist a lifestyle of porn with a focus on faithfulness. The software company also provides resources and training to live a porn-free lifestyle for teens and adults alike. Apart from this, the software application looks and behaves like any other parental control program. It blocks and monitors content for kids and teens, with the added ability for adults to install it and set up one or more accountability partners.

To further clarify, Covenant Eyes allows parents to protect younger kids from harmful material online. As kids grow older, restrictions can be lowered but parents can still receive reports and monitor activity as family members learn online responsibility. For adults struggling with graphic content and online addictions, they can install the app on their iPhone or Android with full control. However, they sign up a friend as an accountability partner to receive reports if explicit websites are visited. This accountability model can be similarly used for teens who would set up their parents as accountability partners.

3. Qustodio

Qustodio is your all-in-one app download for multiple devices, including Windows computers and Macs that need a software installation. It provides complete parental controls for any device you may have in your home with an option for schools as well. You can also access your parental dashboard easily from any devices you are personally using. Qustodio builds healthy digital habits to help prevent screen addiction. This is done by setting usage limits that can be adjusted individually for any family member.

Features include: Filtering out websites you don’t want your kids to visit. Grant access to only specific websites. Monitor all online activity on websites and apps on any device. Blocking games and potentially harmful apps. Ensure kids are at home when they should be or locate any family member when they are at school, on the playground or at a friends house. You’ll also receive reports and alerts of suspicious activity. To get started you can create a parental control account for free.

A bonus for Android devices is the ability to track phone calls and SMS. For all phones, tablets and computers multi-device features include smart web filters that are always active, as well as advanced social media monitoring. The SOS feature enables kids to instantly alert parents of trouble where ever they may be.

4. iSharing Location App

iSharing is a top rated location sharing app for families, friends and anyone in a relationship who wishes to stay with each other.  It also enables users to track a cell phone for free while using the location sharing features.  Knowing where everyone in the family is at any given time is easy with a real-time GPS phone locator.

This location sharing app is also about sharing life with those you love, not just ensuring their safety. The unique Street View feature allows you to see the accurate location of your loved one’s surroundings while chatting via text and even sharing photos, all without having to leave the app. 

Place Alert notifies you when those connected are ‘on the move’. Panic Alert tells you they need help at their location when they shake their phone.  iSharing also allows you to get location history for past movements and keep an eye on the driving habits of your teens.  And the sharing of life and location can happen even when they leave home for college or go on a trip as a young adult.

5. Screen Time Control

The Screen Time Parental Control app is another software that you can use to control your kids’ iPhone activities. It allows you to block the kids by stating the screen times. This app has small rewards to award your kids when they show good phone-use behavior. It offers a free version with limited controls with the option to upgrade to complete monitoring on iPhone and other devices.

Screen Time also helps in controlling other Apple devices such as the Kindle Fire and Alexa smart speakers. The good thing about this parental control monitoring for iPhone is that it will notify you when your kid tries to install anything. You can also see the most used apps and browsing history.

Every good software program or app that offers free parental controls should be judged on the effectiveness of search filtering, app and screen time management, alerts, reports and location tracking.

For parental controls that have been specifically created for Android devices, read about this Android parental control app.

Proactive Protection with Parental Controls

Before you give your son or daughter a phone (or yours), make sure it has one of these apps. That way, you will know everything they are doing while protecting them from harm online. Educate yourself on other ways to keep your kid’s safe, especially teen related issues that are not associated with a phone, whether at school or out with friends.

Kids are often more tech savvy than their parents when it comes to phone use. On the other hand, with the right parental control app for your family you can also stay ahead. You will also know when to limit or restrict the unwanted activities.

About The Author:  Aqib Ijaz is a Digital Marketer, Writer, and IT Professional. He loves to write on different topics. In free time, he likes to travel and explore the different parts of the world. You can follow him on eyesonsolution.

When Bill Belsey, creator of a website to fight traditional bullying, coined the term ‘cyberbullying’ in 1998, even he wouldn’t have envisaged the transformation that electronic devices would undergo in the next two decades. Nor would he imagine the frequency with which ‘cyberbullying’ would be used as a topic of serious concern for the younger generation.

A cyberbully is someone who harasses you using a digital device such as a computer, a mobile phone, or a tablet. Harassment is perpetrated in many different ways: through text messages, applications, social media, forums, or interactive games.

The dissemination of offensive, harmful, false, or cruel information about someone simply for the purpose of humiliating or embarrassing them may constitute cyberbullying. The acts in question are often illegal and thus condemned.

The Hidden Dangers of Cyberbullying

Parents often dismiss cyberbullying as trivial due to the belief that minor damage can be caused via the internet. Cyberbullying, however, can be even more harmful than in-person bullying.

Cyberbullying occurs at all times of the day and night, so kids and teens who are victimized have a hard time getting away from bullies. While many parents consider home a safe haven for their children to escape bullying, cyberbullying follows them home.

The anonymity and difficulty of tracing such bullying make it particularly damaging and upsetting. As well as being difficult to control, the victim has no idea how many people (or how many hundreds of people) have seen what they have written. People can suffer from constant anxiety every time they check their gadgets or computers.

Despite the importance of understanding the various forms of cyberbullying, getting a complete understanding of it also requires understanding the bullies themselves and why they attack others. Boredom, revenge, anger, and the desire to provoke a reaction from their victims are some of the reasons students engage in these behaviors.

It’s also true that what may seem like online harassment may at times just be an accident. Online communication is impersonal, which makes it hard to determine whether someone is being sarcastic or not.

Cyberbullying Related Stats

• A survey by Bullying Statistics found that half of all young adults experienced cyberbullying at least once. Another ten to twenty percent reported it regularly.
• In some ways, cyberbullying might be linked to suicide. Depressive thoughts are prevalent among 80 percent of young people who commit suicide. Suicidal thoughts are often more frequently triggered by cyberbullying than traditional bullying.
• According to PewResearch, the prevalence of cyberbullying among girls is higher than among men. On average, 36% of girls reported being cyberbullied, compared with 26% of men.
• The amount of cyberbullying students experience at school can negatively affect their school performance. The odds of mental illness and behavioral problems are also higher with them.
• According to a report published by Bullying Research, gamers are significantly more likely to be both the victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying.

Impact of cyberbullying on children

Cyberbullying is becoming more cruel, and the impact on those involved is becoming even more profound. Cyberbullying is worse than traditional bullying in many ways, infiltrating every aspect of the victim’s life and causing psychological trauma.

1. Emotional Impact

People who are victimized by cyberbullying may suffer long-term emotional, behavioral, concentration, and social issues. Their social lives might also be affected by these problems, as they may have difficulty relating to others. A higher proportion of them experience trust problems and abuse alcohol and drugs earlier in life. Peers may treat cyberbullying victims with shame, which can result in dangerous stigmas.

Many cyberbullying victims have a hard time feeling safe because of it. The feeling of vulnerability and helplessness may be overwhelming. Online bullying can affect someone at all times of the day via computer or cell phone since it can invade their home through that device. The place where they could escape is no longer available to them.

2. Physical Impact

Although cyberbullies are not physically threatened, they still suffer from physiological symptoms. Their excessive nervousness often results in headaches and stomach pain. It is also possible for them to commit self-harm. Psychological problems such as digestive issues and eating disorders can be caused by feelings of stress and anxiety caused by cyberbullying.

A child being cyberbullied may skip meals or binge eat as a result of the bullying. People who experience cyberbullying may experience sleep disruptions. Insomnia, sleeping more than usual, or nightmares are among the sleep issues they might experience. Additionally, a bullied individual’s stress can also aggravate or cause stomach ulcers, intestinal pain, or upset stomach.

3. Mental Impact

Symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are exacerbated by cyberbullying among adolescents, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. The study found that cyberbullying worsened depressive symptoms more forcefully than other indicators in children from challenging backgrounds. Researchers hypothesize that cyberbullying may result in psychological maladjustment, reduced well-being, and eventually low self-esteem in young people because young people have an intense psychological need to belong to and be accepted by a peer group.

Additionally, the study indicated a vicious cycle. The likelihood of being bullied online was more significant for those who were depressed or suffering from mental health issues than those who did not suffer from such issues. Study results confirmed previous findings, the researchers said.

4. Behavioral Impact

A cyberbullied child may exhibit the same behavioral changes as a child who is bullied in a traditional setting. These individuals lack interest in activities and are secretive. In certain circumstances, when kids have been cyberbullied, going to school is too much for them. In order to avoid school, they sometimes skip classes or behave in such a way that results in their suspensions.

A further effect of cyberbullying is anger, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. In a victim’s emotional range, anger is often a dominant emotion. Some children may even consider revenge plans, as evidenced by the school shootings and other aggressions committed by bullying victims who couldn’t deal with what had happened to them.

Remember – a parent or trusted adult is informed of cyberbullying by only one in ten young people. The low number may have been caused by embarrassment, fear of not being believed, or fear of losing access to technology. To ensure your child seeks support when they need it, you can take proactive steps to educate them about how to combat cyberbullying.

You should have a gentle, honest, and open conversation if you suspect something is wrong. It’s hard to avoid being involved in a situation when your children are stressed, but there are steps that you can take to help. A parental monitoring app that tracks your child’s text message is one of the best options if chosen and implemented correctly to ensure that you know what your children are doing with their digital devices.

Parental Monitoring Apps

Giving children digital freedom and knowing when that freedom ends can be a challenge for parents. Many parents are aware that cutting off kids’ access to the internet may have adverse effects on their development and learning. Sadly, this also means that children are exposed to cyberbullying.

Therefore, installing effective security software with parental control on all devices can help parents help their kids remain safe in the digital world. Children should learn to use a security system on their devices just like they learn to lock doors when they’re alone at home.

The use of parental monitoring tools is practically essential for making sure your children are protected. It monitors what kids write and what they do on their computers, tablets, and smartphones. Although you can do this by looking over their shoulders, this is much easier to do today, thanks to technology. An accomplished and efficient parental monitoring app like Fenced.ai, Bark.us, Kaspersky Safe Kids can act as a highly amicable tool to help you protect your kids from being cyberbullied.

How Do Parental Monitoring Apps Helps To Prevent Cyberbullying

• Parents can track and monitor SMS, calls, and emails to be aware of any uncertain activities.
• Parental alerts will be sent on suicidal indications and cyberbullying immediately.
• Contributes to the development and teaching of anti-cyber self-defense
• Blocks and filters unwanted applications and websites
• Sets time limits aimed at limiting the use of social media and digital technology

Applications that provide monitoring functions of their own.

Qustodio – Best All in One Parental Control

NetCut – Best For Internet Control

FamilyTime – Best for Schools

DNSFilter – Best For Website Filtering

ReThink – Best Anti-Bullying App

How to use parental monitoring apps to prevent cyberbullying

We should begin by saying that prohibition is something you should not do with your children. In situations where cyberbullying is present from the start, the minor may want to remain silent if they are prohibited access to the devices. Parenting should be characterized by calmness and alertness, not restriction.

A kid’s phone book can be blocked from seeing suspicious contacts, certain apps can be restricted, texts and emails can be monitored, and locating them can be done through GPS tracking. As evidence when reporting cyberbullying, you can also see and use the multimedia files that bullies send to your child. It is also possible to set triggering words for your kid and receive notifications every time your kid sends or receives a message containing these words.

Cyberbullying can be prevented even before it happens when you monitor your children’s online activity with these programs. As soon as your child is the victim of cyberbullying, block the offender, preserve all evidence, take screenshots, take notes, print out text messages, etc. Cyberbullying can and should be dealt with by involving the child’s parent. Involving parents can immediately stop the behavior.

Parents never want their kids to hurt others, but if a child is being bullied, they are indeed being bullied by someone else. And that child most probably has a loving parent as well. If you find out that your child is a bully, getting them to stop bullying is the first step, but you shouldn’t overreact. Tell them you know what they’re up to and make them understand the implications of their actions. So, a parental monitoring app can’t just help you stop your kid from being bullied but also prevent them from being a bully themselves.

It is never a bad thing to have a lot of information about our children’s online activities. New platforms are popping up all the time, so knowing the ones your child is using is the best way to keep them safe.

Conclusion

In the internet-active age groups, including teenagers and pre-teens, cyberbullying is an incredibly prevalent problem. Bullies are rude, violent, unrelenting, and mean people. Learn what social media platforms your child uses and educate yourself on the many types of cyberbullying that exist. Arm yourself with information when attempting to prevent cyberbullying.

It is not uncommon for parents to be concerned their children are being cyberbullied, being targeted in some way, or simply overusing or otherwise abusing their technology privileges. As you remind them, access and use are privileges, not rights, and with those privileges come responsibilities.

Our children suffer when they are hurt, and we naturally want the pain to stop as soon as possible. Slowing down and listening is almost always best, as this can lead to a victim’s healing. Children, at least, expect it, and it illustrates our respect for them, helps them understand what happened, learn from it, gain more resilience, and regain the dignity that they felt taken away from them.

A parental monitoring app that can monitor your child’s online presence enables you to monitor your child’s online activities, identify bullies and predators, and prevent communication between your child and these people. A bullied child can suffer a lot of stress and suffer from severe consequences. Make sure your child knows they can talk to you at any time. Go even further. Monitor their online behavior to keep them safe.