Parents in control online

IF YOU want to supervise the online activity of your children or teens on their smartphones, you can install an app to control internet access, filter inappropriate websites and content, and block specific apps.

Here’s a selection of some of the most comprehensive parental control apps on the market.

Family Link This Google app must be installed on both the child’s and the parent’s smartphone. The parents can then decide which apps are permitted and which are blocked.

Family Link reports the time spent online on each app installed on the child’s phone. It’s also possible to block access to the phone at certain times of the day (or night).

Qustodio Qustodio’s parental control operates in a similar way to Family Link, and provides a daily online activity report for each child. Device screen time limits can also be set for each child.

With the free version of the app, you can only supervise one child on one device. Otherwise, the monthly subscription fee varies based on the number of devices covered, from US$4.58 (RM18.21) for five devices, to US$11.50 (RM45.70) for 15 devices.

Xooloo Parents This very comprehensive app also monitors children’s online activity on different mobile devices.

As an example, it can block an app after it has been used for a certain period of time, and the child is warned by a ‘virtual coach‘ when they are approaching the fixed limit.

While the app itself is free, the cost of subscribing to the service starts at €2.99 (RM14.45) a month, and the fee rises depending on the number of devices. – AFPRelaxnews