Parental control is the protection of a child from inappropriate content on the Internet, which a child can stumble upon even by accident, as well as protection against too much time spent on the Web and in a smartphone (or tablet) in principle. Parental controls for Android are implemented by various programs for this mobile OS. With the right choice of application, you can sleep peacefully and not worry about the safety of the child.
Parental control programs - free, paid, demo versions and fully licensed - are presented below.
"Parental Time Management"
The Russian-language program from the domestic manufacturer "Parental Time Control" is designed to ensure the safety of the child while he is on the Internet.
It includes:
- setting your own time frames for the Internet, games, and so on;
- blocking sites and applications that the parent deems undesirable;
- compiling a list of recommended applications, the time frame for which will not apply;
- the prohibition of any sites and applications at a certain time (for example, games and the Internet in a lesson, at night, etc.);
- the ability to remotely control the activities of the child on his smartphone through the official application support service.
All settings become available immediately after installing the application - this is the first thing that is displayed on the screen. If you check the box next to the option "Connect to account", it becomes possible to control through the service - on the website of the KidLogger development team you will need to log in with the appropriate login and password. The Parental Time Control program is available for download on the same site. She is free.
Kids place
An application that provides parental control for "Android", Kids Place is translated from English as "Baby's Place", which fully reflects the essence of the program. "Kids Place" is not just a list of restrictions imposed on the OS, but a replacement for the standard launcher of the device - in other words, when a child "sits" on a tablet or smartphone, he only surfs with this application, and exit it for him becomes an insurmountable task. Rebooting is also useless - you can specify in the settings that at startup you will be automatically logged into the Kids Place.
Actually, the only thing the parent needs to do is to indicate which applications are available to the child through the running program, and at what time. You can also save some data that will not be available through the Kids Place.
It is easy to trace the peculiarity of the application: it is supposed to install not on the child’s phone, but on the parent’s phone in order to allocate a little “his place” on his mother’s or father’s smartphone.
Care4Teen
But the Care4Teen application ("Care for the teenager") is installed on the child’s phone. This program provides parental control in a slightly different way. It is not the protection of mom / dad data that comes to the fore, but the safety of the child. Of course, here you can also put your own restrictions on applications and sites.
Parental controls for Android can be set by default - Care4Teen already has its own list of prohibited online resources that a child (or teenager) will not even access by accident. Functionality is complemented by synchronizing with GPS.
The only drawback is the English language program. Parental control for “Android” is implemented in it at an altitude: “Caring for a teenager” always works in the background, so the child will not be able to turn it off.
Kaspersky Internet Security
The powerful Kaspersky Internet Security tool guarantees the security of both the child and his device. Kaspersky provides parental control on the Android, Windows tablet, iPads, PCs, smartphones of any existing mobile OS. Among its functions are protection against viruses, confidentiality of information, setting limits on the actions of the child on the Internet.
When registering and logging on to different devices on the same account, the entire configuration will be similarly copied to the new device.
However, Kaspersky is not a free program. For this quality, developers are asking for a fee. However, on the official website you can download the thirty-day trial version, try how much the application will really work well. And if you like it, why not? This manufacturer has long been on the market and has its own good reputation.
Kidread
The unexpected development of an e-book publishing company surprised the market at first with its surprise, and then with its quality. Parental controls for Android KidRead allows you to configure applications and games to which the child will have access. You can even classify them by rank: they are neutral, exclusively playing or training.
Through KidRid, it is also proposed to establish a time frame during which the child will be able to surf freely in the virtual world. Remote access is also assumed.
Since they still developed the PocketBook application ("Pocket Book"), it feels like reading on an electronic device - although this is even a plus. Game moment in KidRid: setting certain points for permitted applications (both positive and negative), the accumulation of which the child will really like, because in the end they can be spent on extra time to play, or some other kind of entertainment .
The application motivates reading with the help of a special, built-in by default plug-in - “Extracurricular reading”.
Mspy
MSpy is a multifunctional program. Parental control for "Android" is presented in it in an extended version.
It’s not for nothing that the English word “spy” is present in its name - with the help of “MSpay” you can find out who the child is talking with, who he is talking to via SMS and by correspondence in social networks, where he is, what sites he visits using the browser on his device . All this data is transmitted in stealth mode, while the parent himself decides which of this information he needs.
"MSpay" is a means of surveillance, not limitation, therefore, despite the fact that it is very powerful, the ethics of its use is called into question.