How does parental control work. Parental control on Android - what it is, how to enable it

Today, even children use smartphones, who often manage it even better than their parents. As a rule, smartphones in children's hands are used primarily for playing games, watching cartoons and children's entertainment programs. At the same time, a smartphone can be called a source of problems, since with its help a child, if desired, can visit websites that are undesirable for him or download a malicious file. To prevent this from happening, you can enable the so-called parental control. This feature has many benefits, including:

• Protection from malicious files.

• Website ban.

• Blocking downloads of certain applications.

• In some cases: time limit for watching cartoons or playing games.

• In some cases: using your own desktop and transferring only necessary applications to it.

We will show you how you can set up parental controls on your Android smartphone.

Using built-in functionality

Modern versions of Android allow you to create a new restricted profile.

Go to settings.

Click Add User.

Select Restricted Profile.

If you see a message that you can create such a profile only after setting up a screen lock, click "Enable screen lock". If you are already using fingerprint desktop access or another option, you will not see such a message - a new profile will be created immediately.

If you see it, choose an available option, say PIN.

Ask it twice and remember.

It is better to hide notifications on the lock screen.

The profile has been created, you need to select the applications that will be available to the child - in front of the necessary ones, turn the switch to the “On” position, for example:

Choose the new profile you just created and confirm the transition to it.

The desktop starts under the control of the profile you created. There are only those third-party applications that you have allowed access to.

Q: What prevents a child from deleting this profile and enabling the owner profile? Nothing prevents deleting, this can be easily done through the settings, however, we created a pin code for entering the owner’s profile for a reason: after deleting your profile, you will need to enter a pin code from the owner’s account, which, of course, the child does not know.

Therefore, it is at least unprofitable for him to delete his profile: without a pin code, he cannot do anything with a smartphone at all.

Google Play settings

This is a restriction of access to the Play Market so that the child cannot download applications with one rating or another.

Go to Play Market.

Call up the menu by swiping from the left side of the screen to the right or by pressing the button in the form of three stripes. Select "Settings" from the menu.

Find the line "Parental Control", click on it.

Move the switch to the "On" position.

Log in and remember the PIN code entered twice.

You can turn off parental control only after entering the pin code.

Third Party Applications

Of course, you can always use third-party applications, but remember that many of them require full trust between parents and the child, so disabling the parental control functionality in such applications is often within the power of the child himself.

To find an app with parental controls, open the Play Market. Specify a phrase in the search parental control and click on the search button.

You will see a list of applications. We strongly recommend that you read the comments before installation, from which you can learn a lot of interesting things.

A couple of examples. The Kidslox app allows you to:

• Block apps.

• Set a screen time limit.

• Block access to unwanted sites.

• Switch between several available modes of operation.

FunControl. Allows, among other things:

• Label apps by category.

• Set a balance between entertainment or educational applications.

• Set the time allotted for games.

• Block apps.

• Support multiple profiles.

Parental controls are installed on smartphones, game consoles and computers. They mainly do this in order to restrict access to content with an age limit and set time limits for the use of certain programs and functions, up to a complete ban on access to them. Read on to find out how to remove parental controls from your Apple devices, Android phone or tablet, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Mac or Windows computers with or without a password.

Steps

iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Remember that parental controls on iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch are called Restrictions. They can be used to limit content such as movies, TV shows, and music based on ratings, as well as in-app purchases, access to the iTunes store, camera, and FaceTime.

1. Turn off parental controls with a password. The procedure for removing the restriction is identical for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch:

   • Open Settings > General.
   • Open Restrictions.
   • Select "Turn off restrictions" and enter the password.

2. To disable passwordless restrictions, you will need iBackupBot. With it, you can set a new password, while saving all the data and contacts.

   • Go to Settings > iCloud and turn off Find My iPhone.
   • Now connect your phone to your computer and select your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when it appears in the list of devices in iTunes.
   • Select the "Browse" tab and click on "Backup Now".
   • Download and install iBackupBot for iTunes free trial on your computer.
   • Launch iBackup and open the newly created backup of your device.
   • Open the System Files > Home Domain tab.
   • Open Library > Preferences.
   • Find the com.apple.springboard.plist file and open it in the built-in editor. This will ask you to purchase an iBot. Click Cancel.
   • Find the country setting limited to commands . You should have the following text in front of you (the "|" sign indicates a line break): countryCode | us |
   • On the line below add the following (the "|" sign indicates a line break): SBParentalControlsPIN | 1234
   • Save the file.
   • Connect your device, select it in the iBackup program and click the "Restore from backup" button. Select the backup you created.
   • When the restore is complete, the device will reboot. After that, the "Restrictions" function should have a new password: 1234. Use it to disable the restrictions, as shown in the second step.

3. Turn off passwordless restrictions by setting up your device as a new device. If you have a copy of the device before the restrictions were activated, you can restore it from it. Otherwise, you will have to set up the device as a new device. WARNING: This action will erase all data and content from your device, including songs, videos, contacts, photos, and calendar reminders.

   • Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer.
   • Connect your device to your computer and select your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from the list of devices in iTunes.
   • Open the Overview tab.
   • Click on the "Restore" button.
   • When you are prompted to save the settings, do not agree, otherwise the restrictions that you are trying to get rid of will remain.
   • Click the "Restore" button again.
   • When the restore is complete, the device will reboot and the welcome screen will appear. Do not disconnect your device until the "Connect to iTunes" screen disappears or until you see "iPhone activated."

   Android phone or tablet

   1. Turn off PIN restrictions on a tablet running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or later. Android (version 4.3 and above) allows users to create restricted profiles that block access to certain apps. With a password, you can restrict which applications the user will have access to.

      • Enter your PIN on the lock screen to sign in with an unlimited account.
      • Open "Settings" and go to the "Users" tab, then to the restricted account.
      • Select the programs that the restricted account will have access to.

   2. Turn off the restriction on the purchase and download of content on Google Play using a PIN code on your Android phone or tablet. To get started, launch the Google Play Store app.

      • Press "Menu" and then "Settings".
      • Find the option "Use a PIN for purchases", "Require confirmation for purchases" or "Restrict purchases with a password" and turn it off. You will be asked to enter a PIN.

   3. Turn off content restrictions on Google Play with a PIN code on your Android tablet or phone. To get started, launch the Google Play app.

      • Open Settings, and under the User Controls tab, select the Content Filtering option.
      • When you are asked to enter a password, do so.
      • Check all boxes (All, Kids, Teens, Adults) to allow all content.

   4. To disable content restrictions on Google Play without a PIN, use the data wipe. This method allows you to erase the set PIN code and remove the filter.

      • Open Settings > Applications.
      • Select Google Play Store.
      • Click on the "Clear data" button.

   5. Disable the parental control app by rebooting the device in safe mode (works on most Jelly Bean version devices). Since Android has a relatively small number of built-in parental controls, parents often install monitoring and security applications themselves to restrict their children's access to the Internet and certain applications. Sometimes, to disable all these features, it is enough to restart the device in safe mode.

      • Press and hold the power button on your device.
      • In the menu that appears, select "Power off".
      • After that, a dialog box should appear asking you to confirm the transition to safe mode. Click OK. If the window does not appear, try using the alternative method below.
      • After rebooting the phone, “Safe Mode” should appear in the lower left corner.

   6. Disable parental control apps by restarting your device in safe mode (if the previous method didn't work). Starting the device in safe mode can neutralize most parental control applications.

      • Turn off your phone.
      • After it turns off, press the power button to turn it back on.
      • While the phone is booting, press the volume up and down buttons at the same time and hold them while the OS boots.
      • As a result, in the lower left corner you should see the inscription: "Safe Mode".
      • To exit safe mode, simply restart your device again.

   Xbox console

   1. You can disable parental controls on Xbox 360 if you have a password. With this feature, you can control access to content and which games can be played.

      • Go to the "My Account" page.
      • In the top right corner, click Sign In and sign in with your Microsoft account.
      • Click Security > Family & Forums > Privacy Settings.
      • Click or click on one of the links under Content Access or Online Privacy and Security, depending on which settings you wish to change.
      • Click on your gamertag and change your privacy and security settings as you see fit.

   2. You can disable parental controls on Xbox 360 without a password. WARNING: This method will reset all settings to factory settings, so we strongly recommend that you first save all applications, games, save files and other data.

      • First, turn off your console and remove all storage devices.
      • Restart your console, go to System Preferences > Console Preferences > System Information.
      • Press: Left Trigger, Right Trigger, X, Y, Left Bumper, Right Bumper, Up, Left Bumper, Left Bumper, X.
      • After that, a menu called "Restore Factory Defaults" should appear.
      • Click "Yes" to reset the settings. Then the screen will go dark for about two seconds.
      • Select the desired language from the list.
      • Next, the Xbox 360 Storage menu should appear and two options to choose from: Done and Continue Anyway. Choose the second option.
      • The Completing Basic Settings screen will display three options: Family, Advanced, and Xbox Control Panel. Choose the last option.
      • Turn off the console and insert a memory card or hard drive.
      • Turn your console back on. Parental control settings lock should be gone.

   3. Turn off parental controls on Xbox One with a passcode.

      • Log in with your account.
      • Press the Menu button on your controller and select Options.
      • Scroll right until you find the "Family" section, select the child account you want to set up.
      • Select "Adult" to disable parental controls on the account.

   4. You can disable parental controls on Xbox One by doing a factory reset. WARNING: This method will reset all settings to factory settings, so we strongly recommend that you first save all applications, games, save files and other data.

      • Open the main page and press the "Menu" button on the controller.
      • Select Settings > System.
      • Select Restore Factory Defaults. You will be warned that this action will erase all accounts, applications, games, saves and settings. Click Yes.
      • This will reset your Xbox console to factory settings with parental controls disabled.

   PlayStation console

   1. Use the password to disable Parental Controls on PS4. Note: The default password is "0000". To remove all restrictions, you must disable controls in nine different places.

      • Log in to the subaccount you want to set up.
      • While on the main screen, press the up arrow on the gamepad to get to the functional menu.
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Restrict PS4 Features > Apps.
      • Select "Allow" to remove all restrictions.
      • Next, go to Settings > Parental Controls > Restrict PS4 Features > Blu-ray Disc and select Allow.
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Restrict PS4 Features > DVD and select Allow.
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Restrict PS4 Features > Web Browser and select Allow.
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Restrict Use of PS4 Features > Select New User and Sign in to PS4 and select Allow.
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Sub Account Management, and then select the sub account you want to change and press the X button. Select Parental Controls, and under Chat/Message, select " Allow".
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Sub Account Management, then select the sub account you want to change and press the X button. Select Parental Controls, and under User Generated Media, select Allow ".
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Sub Account Management, then select the sub account you want to change and press the X button. Select Parental Controls, and under Data Restriction, select Allow ".
      • Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Sub Account Management, then select the sub account you want to change and press the X button. Select Parental Controls, and under Monthly Spending Limit, select Unlimited ".

   2. To disable Parental Controls on PS4 without a password, you need to reset the system to factory settings.

      • First, restart the system in safe mode. Turn off your console. After that, press and hold the Power button. Release the button when you hear two beeps, one when pressed and another after 7 seconds.
      • Connect the DualShock 4 controller to the set-top box via a USB cable and press the PS button on the controller. You are now in safe mode.
      • Select the "Restore default settings" option to reset the console to factory settings.
      • After restarting your PS4, you will be able to remove parental controls using the method described above. The default password will be "0000".

   3. Use a password to turn off parental controls on PS3. Note: In order to have full access to all content and the network, three different sets of settings will need to be disabled.

      • Open the "Settings" menu and select "Security Settings".
      • In the "Parental Control" field, enter a four-digit password (the default is "0000").
      • Set Parental Controls to "Off" and click "OK" in the window that appears.
      • Next, go to the "BD - Parental Control" field. Enter a four-digit password.
      • Set the option to "Do not restrict".
      • Finally, go to the "Web Browser Launch Control" field and enter the password too.
      • Click Turn Off.

   4. To disable Parental Controls on PS3 without a password, you need to reset the system to factory settings.

      • Open the Settings menu and select System Settings.
      • Select "Restore default settings" and then confirm your choice.
      • You can now turn off parental controls using the above method. The default password will be "0000".

   nintendo

   1. To disable parental controls on the Nintendo Wii, you will need a password.

      • Go to the Parental Controls channel by selecting the appropriate menu item.
      • Enter your PIN.
      • From the parental control settings menu, select Delete All Settings. Confirm disabling parental controls by clicking the Delete button.

   2. Disable parental controls on Nintendo Wii without password.

      • Select Wii Settings from the main menu.
      • Select "Parental Control" and confirm the change of settings.
      • When you are prompted to enter a password, click "I forgot" (I Forgot). Repeat the same on the next page.
      • You will be given an eight-digit confirmation number.
      • Navigate to this address on your computer.
      • Make sure the "Current Date" in your time zone matches the date on your Wii.
      • Enter the received number in the field next to the words "Confirmation Number" (Confirmation Number) and click "Get Unlock Code" (Get Reset Code).
      • Press "OK" on the console, enter the unlock code and press "OK" again.
      • Select Delete All Settings to disable parental controls.

   3. Turn off parental controls on your Nintendo 3DS or DSi with a password. In this sense, Nintendo is quite convenient, as it allows you to remove all restrictions with just a few taps.

      • Tap Parental Controls > Edit.
      • Enter your PIN and tap OK.
      • Click on "Remove Settings" to disable the parental control feature. Click on "Delete" to confirm the deletion.

   4. Disable parental controls on Nintendo 3DS without a password. This method consists of obtaining a confirmation number by filing a claim that you have forgotten your password. With this number, you will be able to generate an unlock code that will allow you to change your password.

      • Go to homebrew-connection.org on your computer and download the 3DS Parental Tool from there.
      • Back on the 3DS, select System Preferences > Parental Controls.
      • Tap "I forgot my PIN" and then "I forgot" on the next page. You will be given a confirmation number.
      • Launch the 3DS Parental Tool on your computer and enter the confirmation number you received.
      • Make sure the date on your computer matches the date on your 3DS and click "Get Key". You will be given a master key.
      • Back on the 3DS, click OK. Enter the master key and click OK again.
      • Tap "Delete Settings" and then "Delete" to remove parental controls.

   5. Disable parental controls on Nintendo DSi without a password. This method consists of obtaining a confirmation number by filing a claim that you have forgotten your password. With this number, you will be able to generate an unlock code that will allow you to change your password.

      • Select System Preferences (wrench icon) from the touch screen menu.
      • Click on Parental Controls > Edit.
      • When you are prompted to enter a password, tap "I forgot". Repeat the same on the next page.
      • You will be given an eight-digit confirmation number.
      • Navigate to this address on your computer.
      • Make sure the "Current Date" in your time zone matches the date on your DSi.
      • Enter the received number in the field next to the words "Confirmation Number" (Confirmation Number) and click "Get Unlock Code" (Get Reset Code). A five-digit unlock code will be generated for you.
      • Press "OK" on your 3DS or DSi and then enter the unlock code.
      • Tap "Remove Settings" to remove parental controls.

   Computers running Windows

   1. You can temporarily disable parental controls with an administrator password. Completely deleting parental control settings on a computer is highly discouraged, as this will lose all account settings. By disabling them temporarily, you can later, if necessary, turn them back on.

      • Log in with an administrator account. Go to "Control Panel".
      • Scroll to the "User Accounts and Family Safety" section and in the "Parental Controls" section, click on the "Manage" line.
      • Slide the button to the OFF position to turn off parental controls. To turn it back on, move the button to the "ON" position.
      • It may take up to 10 minutes for the new settings to be applied.

   2. Disable parental controls without an administrator password using the Startup repair tool. WARNING: This method will reset the administrator password.

      • Restart your computer. During the startup process (when "Starting Windows" appears), abruptly turn off the computer by removing the plug from the outlet.
      • Turn on your computer. You should now be able to run Launch Startup Repair. Run it.
      • When you are prompted to confirm System Restore, click Cancel. Note: The startup repair program will run for 5-10 minutes.
      • When the program completes, you will be offered two options to choose from: "Send problem data" and "Do not send". Instead, click on the arrow next to View Details.
      • Scroll to the most recent link: X:\windows\system32\en-RU\erofflps.txt. Click on it to open a text file.
      • Now click File > Open. Open "My Computer" and go to the local drive.
      • Open the Windows folder. Change the file display option to "All Files"
      • Open the "System32" folder and find a file called "sethc".
      • Right-click on it and select "Rename". Add a "0" sign at the end of the name and click on the empty space to save the new name.
      • Find a file called "cmd". Copy this file. Scroll to the very bottom and paste the file to create a copy of it (cmd - copy).
      • Right click on this file and rename it "sethc". Save the new name.
      • Close the open window and the text file itself.
      • Select "Don't send" on the recovery screen. Then click the "Finish" button. After that, your computer will restart.
      • At the login screen, press the Shift button five times. After that, a command prompt window should appear.
      • Enter the following: net user (your parent's username) *. Don't forget to put a space before the asterisk. Press Enter. Note: If there is a space in the username, replace it with an underscore. That is, "Username" should become "UserName".
      • Now you can change the password or disable it completely by pressing the Enter button twice.
      • Now sign in and follow the instructions in the first step to turn off parental controls.

How convenient it is for parents to be able to always call their child, whether he is, for example, at school or alone at home. And would you know how convenient it is for a child to always be able to play on the phone, surf the Internet, social networks or youtube, invent different stories and deceive their parents when they don’t even have the opportunity to check what was said ... Although no, of course you know all this just close your eyes to the problem.

Meanwhile, it turns out that the child has uncontrolled access to adult content through the phone. Very bad groups go on social networks, I don’t even want to mention them once again. Yes, and by downloading viruses either voluntarily or out of ignorance, subscribing to paid services with payment by SMS, your child will simply put you up for a lot of money.

Those. turning a blind eye to a potential problem is stupid. Laziness is also not an excuse. There is a solution to the problem called parental control on the phone to be used. What it is and how it is used, read below.

What is phone parental control

Phone parental control is a software-implemented set of rules for delimiting access to the phone and the Internet in order to reduce its negative impact on the child under guardianship.

It will not necessarily be some separate program with which you prohibit the child from accessing the smartphone. This may simply be functionality that is already built into the operating system (for example, parental control on an android phone is described below). This may be, which, in addition to the limitations on a smartphone, will also provide you with a lot of interesting and very useful opportunities for inconspicuous control and observation of the child, which will allow you to conduct education more competently. Even mobile network operators themselves offer a similar service, limiting the capabilities of a SIM card at the request of a subscriber (not all, you need to check with your operator if it has such a function).

Typical functionality of parental control programs:

• Blocking negative Internet content;
• Prohibition on downloading paid programs and programs from unreliable sources;
• Restriction of games by time or duration;
• Location control with control over the crossing of the "guarded" perimeter.

Nothing supernatural, only the necessary access restrictions. If you need more, then you should look towards the spyware mentioned above, which will also allow you to listen to conversations (both on the phone and the environment of the device turned off), read correspondence, track movement, turn on the camera, see what the child did on the Internet, with whom chatted, etc.). Those. in this case, you are not so much forbidding as quietly observing and drawing conclusions to make an adequate, balanced decision! Although the program at the link above also has an implementation of the prohibition functionality.

How to put parental controls on android phone

We will look at individual programs below. Just as we will not now consider the possibilities of cellular network operators regarding the issue of organizing parental control on the subscriber's phone. Now let's see what android itself offers us as a restriction of a child's access to bad Internet content and smartphone functions.

user management

This is parental control on the child's phone with the installation of appropriate restrictions for the user of your child to launch applications and change settings. Let's say right away that this feature is not available on all versions of android and not even on all smartphones. Some manufacturers turn it off so that the phone does not slow down. It's just that if the mobile phone is weak, then it's not convenient. And if the “titled” device starts to slow down because of this, then the manufacturer will spoil its image.

The essence of this approach is to create a separate user for the child. In this case, the user account will be restricted. To create an account, select the appropriate item in the android settings: " Settings» - « Users» - « Add user/profile» - « Restricted Profile».

Blocking the current application

This is a half-measure function for a time limit or for very young children. However, to some extent, this is also parental control on the child's phone.

Learn more about how to set parental control on your phone through app lock in full screen mode. In the Android settings you need to select: Settings - Security - App lock. Now, when reviewing all running applications on a smartphone, if you stretch one of them a little up, you will be able to open it in full screen and lock it in that position.

How to install play-market blocking

It is often necessary to limit the software capabilities of a smartphone for children. You don’t need to do anything complicated for this - such an opportunity is implemented in the android itself and in the play market. To do this, disable the permission to install applications from unreliable sources in the settings (security section). Set up access to the play market by restricting the installation and purchase of applications:

1. Button " Menu» in the Play Store and open the settings.
2. Enable item " Parental control" (position " On"). Set a pin code.
3. Set age limits for games, apps, movies, and music by age.
4. Turn on the item " Purchase Authentication”, which requires you to enter your Google account password to purchase paid apps. Accordingly, do not tell the child this password.

How to set youtube blocking

Another part of the procedure for installing total parental control on an android phone is restricting access to the “wrong” video for a child through the YouTube setting. To do this, in the YouTube application, go to the menu and select: " Settings» - « General” and turn on the item “ Safe mode».

Or, on Google Play, you can use the separate application "YouTube for kids", where such a function is installed by default and cannot be disabled.

Dedicated parental control apps

We will analyze each individual application in a separate material. Here we simply list them, adding links to reviews.

In general terms, parental control programs offer a more serious set of functions in comparison with the solutions of Android itself. You simply install such a program on your smartphone and make the necessary settings according to the instructions.

Parental control on android phone

• Screen Time
• Kid's Shell
• Safe Lagoon

parental control on iphone

• KidLogge
• Qustodio Safe Browser

Access restriction at the level of cellular network operators

If you have read up to this point, then you are really interested in the safety and effective upbringing of your child. But it is also obvious that you already have little strength to read long explanations. Therefore, we will do the same as with parental control programs - some general information and links to a detailed overview of the capabilities of different mobile network operators.

The bottom line is, you order the service (which will probably be paid) by sending SMS to the number indicated on the official website from the child’s phone and from your own (of course, there will be differences in the encoding or in the numbers to distinguish the child from the parent). Details or the possibility of customization are always provided by mobile operators in detail on their websites. Everyone has a different feature set. There are operators that allow you to set up tracking the movements of the child with the notification of parents about leaving the protected area.

Spyware as parental control

And the last issue that needs to be considered is the installation of spyware on the child's phone. It just sounds ominous. In fact, you will be able to manipulate the child without any pressure on him. This is much more pedagogical than banning everything and restricting everything. After all, trying to predict, we can think up problems. And having received the fact, we know exactly what is wrong, and we have the opportunity to understand how to fix it.

A simple example - parental control of the Internet on a child's phone will not solve the problem of everyday communication in a dysfunctional group of classmates. Well, you forbid access to the Internet, but a friend has it. So, what is next?

Mobile spyware, unlike parental controls on the phone, do not ban but monitor. You can listen to your child's conversations. Or find out how he communicates in a team by listening to the environment of the smartphone. You can find out where he is now, or where he was during school hours. And this is just the basic set of features. More serious ones also have parental control features. You get two in one - important information and access restrictions. How to install such software and where to get it, read the links above.

conclusions

From the material, you learned what parental control is on an android phone, how to install additional programs or set up standard mechanisms for restricting the smartphone OS itself.

Now there are many interesting software solutions that use cellular networks and mobile devices to control and monitor children. But remember that this is only a half-measure, a tool to help parents raise their children, but it does not replace parenting itself.

We are convinced that lazy parents are not puzzled by this issue, caring ones choose and install parental control programs, and smart and caring parents raise their children. The latest help in this matter is spyware for phones.

Related content:

In the 2000s, parents looked for control solutions to prevent their children from spending too much time on computer screens, playing games all day long, and not visiting non-children's sites. Parents of this decade have a more difficult task. All the threats of computer addiction and the dangers of the Internet that were relevant ten years ago are still in force, but new problems have also been added. For example, earlier it was possible to push a child out into the street and be sure that now he is definitely running around the yard, and not watching cartoons. However, in the age of mobile technology, he can go into the yard with a tablet, sit next to local old women on a bench and continue to inspect Smeshariki. And it's good if he will inspect Smeshariki!

As a rule, acquaintance with a smartphone or tablet occurs during infancy. Already by 7-8 months, the baby is actively interested in the object that the mother constantly holds in her hand while she feeds him or shakes the stroller. Usually, even before the first birthday, the child already knows perfectly well what a smartphone is like, and in the period from a year to two, there is no more exciting activity for him than to poke at colorful icons. In clinics, in waiting rooms of airports and train stations, and in any other queues, a smartphone is a great way to focus a child's attention and help them to be quiet. With this approach, which is practiced by modern parents everywhere, by about two or three years old, children simply cannot do without electronic devices. And parents have to think about how to make their use as safe and beneficial as possible for children.

⇡ Standard Android OS tools

Starting with version 4.3 on Android tablets, it became possible to use restricted profiles. Thus, some means to ensure safety when using the device by children are in the operating system itself. To create a profile, go to settings and select "Users" → "Add user/profile". Then select "Restricted Profile". Parents can decide which installed apps are available to children and prevent in-app purchases. If the application developer has taken care of users of different ages, then when setting up the profile, it will also be possible to restrict the content of each program according to the user's age.

A restricted profile gives the child the opportunity to independently customize the appearance of the start screen, including using widgets. In addition, data for each application for each account is stored separately. Thus, children of different ages can play the same games on the same tablet, but each will have their own achievements. It should be borne in mind that if parents close access to the application and then open it again, user data (information about levels passed, coins earned, and so on) will be lost forever.

There is no doubt that the built-in parental controls on Android devices will continue to improve. In the meantime, this mode is far from perfect and also works only on tablets, you can turn to third-party applications.

Not all parents have the opportunity to buy their own smartphone or tablet for their child, and some do not do it consciously. In any case, giving a child a smartphone to “play around”, after an hour and a half, you may not recognize your device: the wallpaper will be different, the shortcuts from the main screen will be removed, and so on. To avoid this, you can use the Parental Control application. In fact, this is a launcher for Android, just specialized. All that is required of a parent to save the settings of their smartphone is to set up the application once, and then launch it before handing the device to the child.

Having received a smartphone in hand, the child will see such a cheerful main screen with four groups of applications.

What programs will be in each of the groups, the parent chooses in advance. To do this, in parent mode, you need to open the list of all installed applications and manually drag the desired one into the appropriate categories - "Games", "Development", "Education" and "Other applications".

In addition, the parent can determine whether to block the ability to make calls and send SMS. If this option is enabled, the corresponding buttons on the main screen will not be available.

It is worth bearing in mind that in the child mode, the notification panel will be available to the child, so he will be able to change the quick settings. However, he will not be able to go to the full list of device settings - "Parental Control" by default blocks the launch of the "Settings" application. The most favorite children's option - wallpaper change - is available in the application. If the parent allows, the child will be free to change the wallpaper on the main screen.

As a bonus, Parental Control has a drawing board, which will surely help in cases where the child is already tired of playing with a smartphone, and the turn to the doctor has not yet come. Draw something for the kid or offer to draw it yourself. To display the board, simply swipe from the left edge of the screen towards the center. You can draw in different colors.

For older children (more specifically, for the parents of these children) who already have their own electronic device, Parental Control can offer a few more features. So, parents can set restrictions on use. In the free version, you can only specify the maximum number of hours that a child can spend in front of the screen during the day. It is also possible to set restrictions only on individual applications or categories of programs.

Premium users can also set separate restrictions depending on the days of the week, block work at certain times (say, during those hours when you need to do homework or when the child is at school). The text that will be displayed on the lock screen can be anything - it all depends on the sense of humor and imagination of the parent.

Parental Control collects statistics on the use of the device in child mode and stores this data for a week. Therefore, curious dad and mom will always be able to find out which programs occupy the child the longest.

Finally, another app feature is location tracking. It works in conjunction with another application of the same developers - "PlayPad Remote Control". By turning on tracking, parents will always be able to find out where the child is at the moment.

For premium users, movement information is stored for twelve hours. By the way, with the help of remote control, you can change any settings of the "parent" launcher on the children's device: change the list of programs allowed to run, manage the allowed time for using the device, and so on.

In general, the PlayPad can be suitable for children of primary and secondary preschool age as protection against accidental clicks on their father's smartphone. The application does not have protection against deletion - this can be done in the standard way. Unless, of course, the child manages to guess how to launch the forbidden Settings application.

The development of Xooloo is implemented on the same principle as the previous application. In essence, Xooloo App Kids is a launcher, and parents should choose it as the default launcher for it to work properly. When you first start, mom or dad will need to come up with a four-digit pin code, as well as indicate the address of their mailbox and enter the activation code that will come there. In the future, to access the settings and exit the baby launcher, you only need to remember the four-digit pin code.

Unlike "Parental Control - PlayPad", this application does not allow you to work with the notification bar, filling the entire screen. Switching between apps while Xooloo App Kids is active won't work either. Shortcuts of all applications available to the child are placed on the main screen. Unfortunately, there is no way to create folders, so if there are more than twenty applications allowed for a child, they will be placed on the next screen. You can navigate between screens by swiping.

By default, all applications installed on the device are hidden. You can specify which of them will be available in the children's mode in the settings.

Parents are offered several pre-installed applications, among which there is one responsible for changing the wallpaper. The cartoon viewer is unlikely to be of interest to most Russian parents, since the cartoons selected in it are in English. In addition, parents are invited to choose a schedule in accordance with which the child can use a smartphone or tablet.

The paid version of Xooloo App Kids has more features. So, the child will be able to call the contacts selected by the parents from the address book. You can also allow access to view favorite photos in the gallery, specify the video files allowed for viewing. In addition, the application offers its own browser, which is equipped with a safe surfing function. In any case, you can add sites to the "black" list manually.

Xooloo App Kids does not appear in the general list of applications - it can only be removed from parent mode.

And here is a Russian development, in many ways reminiscent of Xooloo App Kids, but offering content in Russian. Since children on the tablet like not only to play, but also to watch cartoons, the application has a selection of Russian-language YouTube channels with popular cartoons. Which of them will be available to the child, the parent decides when setting up the child mode. In any case, this approach is very convenient. The child will not be able to go on a free swim in the ocean of similar videos on video hosting, which can lead him to pages that are completely unchildish.

In addition to YouTube, you can give your child access to view video files stored in the device's memory and on a memory card. A similar approach is implemented for books and music: the application displays a list of all found files and prompts parents to choose which of them will be available in children's mode.

All available applications are divided into games and programs. As with all parental control solutions, it is possible to choose whether the application will be shown to the child and to which group it will be assigned.

The section of recommended applications contains some children's programs for different ages: puzzles, assistants in teaching language, mathematics, and so on. You can perceive them as advertising, or as help in choosing the right apps for your child. By the way, the advertising banner occupies most of the screen in the parent mode, but, which is nice, the ad is targeted, on a children's theme, and therefore it can also be of interest to parents.

The design of the children's mode suggests that the target audience of the application is preschoolers. In any case, from the point of view of the child, everything is as simple as possible. For example, selecting the Video icon displays thumbnails of all available YouTube videos and channels, and then immediately starts playback.

TimeAway is a parental control solution designed for preschool and school age children. It is assumed that the child already has their own electronic device. You need to install TimeAway on it, as well as on the parent's smartphone. You can link up to six devices with a free account.

When registering, the parent selects a five-digit pin code, which will later need to be used to change the settings. Remotely, you can set the hours when the device will be unavailable (sleep time and school hours), set usage time limits separately for each application, set a break in using the device.

In addition, it is possible to immediately block all device functions. What's interesting: when managing multiple devices, you can block them all in one fell swoop. This is an effective tool that can help if, say, it is not possible to gather all family members at the dinner table.

TimeAway maintains detailed device usage statistics by application. In addition, there is a function of tracking the location on the Google map and blocking individual applications.

It's nice that all the features are available in TimeAway for free, but it hasn't been without a fly in the ointment. The app has a horrendous translation into Russian, probably done with the help of a machine translator. As you know, it is impossible to change the language of an Android application if the developer has not provided for this, so you need to either put up with it or look for an alternative.

TimeAway is displayed in the general list of applications, but it cannot be deleted or stopped. To do this, you first need to enter the parent pin code in the program settings.

In modern children's literature, it is often written that restrictions and prohibitions are not the best way to influence a child. Children grow up and sooner or later become smarter than their parents, which means they can easily figure out how to bypass protection. It is much more effective not to ban, but to turn parental control into a fun game.

It is this approach that is practiced in the KidRead application. This is the same children's launcher, but with a timer. All applications that the child launches are divided into gaming, educational and neutral. Parents decide which category to include each program installed on the device.

Further, for the time spent in the educational application, the child can earn points, and for the time spent in games, they can lose them. Neutral applications, which by default include programs for making calls and sending SMS, do not participate in the game with points. Immediately after the first launch of KidRead, the child starts with fifty points, and their number decreases or increases, depending on what the child does.

If the score drops to zero, the child can no longer play. Each application can be rated by a parent from -5 to +5 points.

However, when installing the application, parents should remember that if a child can download games on their own, then they will have to deal with filling the training section themselves. And doing it once will not be enough - children get bored with the same thing very quickly, so most likely you will have to spend more time looking for interesting and useful applications for the development of the child. By the way, to train parental brains, KidRead developers have provided an interesting way to exit the child mode. Along with a pin code and a picture password, you can also solve addition, subtraction and multiplication problems. True, if the child has completed the first two classes of high school, he will be able to bypass such passwords without problems.

KidRead supports multiple accounts, which is convenient for parents who have more than one child.

For each, you can create your own set of allowed applications and set your own restrictions. The application allows you to specify the total time that each child can spend with an electronic device, as well as separately for each category of applications.

Being in his profile, the child can change the wallpaper, enable / disable Wi-Fi, add application shortcuts to the screen. To exit the child mode, you can choose one of three options: use a pin code, a graphic password, or solve an example.

You can manage allowed apps and restrictions and view your statistics at kidread.com. This collects data about all the applications that were launched by the child. Information can be viewed in text or graphic form.

⇡ Conclusion

In general, parental control applications serve two main purposes. When it comes to very young children, they help to keep the mother's or father's device in its original form, creating a kind of "sandbox" for the child. In the case of older children, they can also help parents control the time that the child spends in front of the screen, limit the use of certain applications. In any case, if the child understands that he is being restricted, then it is necessary to discuss the meaning of the prohibitions with him in confidential conversations and do not forget to offer an alternative. If you don’t like what cartoons the child is watching, take your time and find better ones, if you think the games are inappropriate, offer good ones, if the child sits on the couch all the time, throw a ball at him and invite him for a joint walk in the park.

And in no case should you use parental control programs as a substitute for communicating with children. The day will come when such a funny today's preschooler will win the city Olympiad in Informatics, and then (and most likely much earlier) he will come up with a dozen ways to circumvent parental prohibitions.

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

Kids these days are becoming more and more technologically advanced and even a preschool kid can easily use an Android smartphone for personal purposes. In this case, you will not even know what he did on it.

note

There is a huge amount of prohibited, harmful and simply anti-social content on the network, the purpose of which is children and teenagers. In addition, there are many paid applications, which you should not spend 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 to for each of the users of the mobile device, using the appropriate controls.

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

The app can currently only be used on Android devices version 7.0 or below. 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, just create a separate account with less restrictions, for example, only for bank accounts and cards.

Will be useful

Family Link blocks all offensive and obscene materials for the younger generation. It's just another tool that you can use in your efforts to keep Android parental controls 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 to your device using the Play Store.
• Launch the app and click "Start".
• Click Start on the Set up Family Link screen, then follow the prompts to navigate to Settings.
• Enter the settings menu.
• You will need to answer a few questions about whether your child has a compatible device and that you want to create an account for a 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 (account name) and click Verify.
• Enter your password and click Next.
• Accept the "User Agreement", then add the bank card number from which Google can withdraw $0.01 (respectively, with your permission) as a one-time donation to charity for children who are raised in orphanages.

Now it's time to add the account to your child's device. and sign in with your account information. Then enter your own Google password and click next. The family link will now be installed on your child's device.

It's important to know

Your attention will be available to all applications that were originally preinstalled on the smartphone, and 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 has limited access - initially this application is considered "potentially dangerous", because Google cannot check all the video content that is uploaded to the system online, and at the same time there may be an obscene video that will have a bad effect on the child.

Remote constraint

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

note

It is necessary to set up a child’s smartphone without his knowledge, in extreme cases, in his presence, but without going into the details of your manipulations. This program is not a "bank vault" and it can be just as easy to uninstall as it is to install if you know what you are looking for.

After completing all the settings, return the device to the child, all the established restrictions are already fully functional and permanent online mode (respectively, if there is an active Internet connection).

Individual account

Parental control on an Android phone and how to set up an individual account, we will look further.

Will be useful

Creating a personal account for your child is necessary if the child will often use your phone or tablet, for example, during your absence, when waiting in line for shopping or under the doctor's office for a long time.

To carry out this operation, an example of the most common operating system Android Nougat will be considered. 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 it should be looked for 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 the child still has to periodically use an adult’s smartphone, but at the same time it is required to limit his ability to download applications from the Play Market, you can simply restrict access to the store. Sign in to your Google account. Then, 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 lines slide-out menu button at the top left.

A slide-out menu list for that application opens. Scroll down and click "Settings", then work your way down the list until you see "Parental Controls". Click on this item. You will need to create a PIN. Enter it twice.

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

Now the child will have to ask permission to purchase, because without a 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 analogues of applications, and they themselves look like an exact copy of the original marketplace. Such resources are called , which can also be blocked.

After repeating the previous steps, exit to the main screen and move to the "Settings" again. Find the "Security" section (called "Security and Fingerprint" on our phone), tap it, and then make sure the "Unknown Sources" toggle is turned off.

Devices with the best parental controls

Android devices are the undisputed king of parental controls. It's not that the built-in parental controls on Android are actually that great, but the operating system allows developers to really deep-seat the system and set appropriate restrictions.

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