Android Parental Control – Is the First Line of Protection Enough for Kid’s Safety?

Posted on the 11 December 2019 by Ruby Mariah @rubymariah22

When it comes to the mobile device running with android OS parents usually have a question in mind do android phones have parental controls? Well, the answer is crystal clear that nowadays the contemporary smartphones are coming up with the built-in parental controls. It enables you to filter and safeguard kids' and teens' inappropriate activities online on cellphones and tablets. However, setting controls on kids' and teens' cell phones could be a tricky and difficult process.

From blocking inappropriate or dangerous social messaging apps to browsing activities and further to the content filtering I am going to tell you how you can set parental control on mobile or how to set up the first line of protection on kids and teens android mobile phones and tablets.

Building a master account on a cell phone and designating user accounts for kids is more likely not a foolproof, That's why we always advised using dedicated Android parental control software -like TheOneSpy. Nowadays parents are usually busy making bread and butter for a child that is why we have come up with the easiest way to monitor kids' and teens' activities online.

How to set Android parental control with dedicated software on kid's devices?

1. Visit the Web Browser of Android Device

Dedicated parental control apps require a little dedication from parents and firstly they have to visit the built-in or installed web browser on their mobile device. Take a step ahead and search for parental control software for android. However, check the compatibility of it with the target handset of kids. Once you have the results then follow the next step.

2. Get Parental Monitoring App Subscription Online

You have got access to your desired dedicated monitoring app and get the subscription online. Resultantly, you will get the login credentials and you can get it by checking your email inbox.

3. Get Physical Access on Target Cellphone

It is an important and crucial step that you have to keep in mind that you have to get physical access on the target android device. Remember without getting physical access on it you won't be able to use it. So, start the installation process and after you have done it activate it on the target handset or tablet.

4. Use Login Credentials & Use a Web Portal

You are free to use the login credentials and get access to the online control panel. Moreover, you can visit plenty of android parental control packed in single parental monitoring software.

5. Use Parental Control for Android Best Features

There are plenty of Android parental monitoring software are available on the web and we have accumulated the few mentioned below.

i) Best Parental Tracking App: Web Filtering

Digital parenting is as important as real-life parenting these days. So, you can monitor kids' and teen's activities in terms of browsing activities with internet browsing history and further you can filter or block all the inappropriate websites on the target device with a web filtering tool of a cellphone tracking app.

ii) Best Parental Spy Software for Android: Live Screen Recording

Parents can also get to know what kids and teens are doing on the mobile screen with live screen recorder software. Simply, you can record real-time screen activities when kids are up to on the mobile. You can record short videos in a sequence and series and you can watch live recorded videos using an online control panel.

iii) Best Parental Surveillance App: Remote Android Controller

It happens most of the time young kids and teens that they perform such activities that are more likely to go against their safety. So, you can use a phone remote controller app to remotely view installed applications on kid's mobile device and further block text messages, incoming calls and last but not the least block internet access on the target device.

iv) Best Parental Control Software: GPS Location Tracker for Android

Parents are scared of their surrounding neighborhoods especially on festivals like Halloween, Valentine's Day and Christmas. So, parents can remotely track the kid's GPS location in real-time with the location tracking app and get to know the live location with pinpoint accuracy. Further, you can create an electronic fence on sage places by tracking kid's digital devices. At the time when kids are going outside the fence and move dangerous place parents will get instant email notifications. Furthermore, parents will also get to know about the location history of kids in a certain period likewise in a day and week.

v) Best Parental Monitoring App for Android: Social Media Monitoring Tool

Nowadays social media apps and instant messengers have become a headache for parents. They become curious why kids and teens used to of spending too much time on the social messaging apps. Now you can track instant messaging apps logs Facebook, Yahoo, Snapchat, Instagram, Vine, Viber, and WhatsApp. Parents can get the logs of social media platforms in terms of messages, text conversations, audio-video social media calls, shared media files and WhatsApp Voice messages in particular.

vi) Best Parental Spying Software for Android: Surround Recording

Apart from keeping an eye on children's digital devices, now parents even can record voices and conversations in the surrounding region of an android smartphone. You can control MIC and cameras of the device and record surround conversations and also capture visuals of the surrounds with MIC bug and camera bug app respectively.

vii) Best Android Parental Control: Live Call Recording & Text Messages Spy

Young kids and teens who are obsessed with making mobile calls all day long and use fingertips all the time in messaging. Parents can record and listen to the phone calls in real-time with secret call recorder software for android. Besides, you can also spy on text messages sent/received, SMS, MMS and others alike with text messages monitoring app.

Why to Set Android Parental Control on Kids Devices?

The first line of protection on kids and teen's android cellphones and tablets is to use the built-in parental control. The contemporary mobile devices empower parents to set dos and don'ts for kids and teens. However, youth is highly addicted to the digital devices including smartphones and tablets connected to the internet. Let's discuss some statistics below.

CNN -teens cell phone addiction Statistics
  • Almost 50% of teens and kids do believe that they mobile device addicts according to CNN
  • Almost 80% of teens say they check their mobile in an hour
  • 72% of teens say they feel to respond on mobile abruptly
  • Parents say 8 years to 10 years old kids spend too much time on digital devices
  • 59% of parents said in a poll that their children are obsessed with the mobile devices
  • Almost 1240 parents participated in a poll with children ages 12 to 18
  • Almost 18 research studies have found that 26% of adolescents are internet addicted using smartphones
Nearly 85% of mobile devices all across the globe are of android OS. It means there is dire need to perform digital parenting on kids and teens android devices.

When to Set Android Parental Control on Children Devices?

Young kids and teens have access to the internet these days on their android handsets and tablets. Therefore, at such a young age they love to explore things online on their mobile without knowing the internet Netiquette. So, they first adopt social media platforms and then start making accounts on multiple platforms due to peer pressure. Besides, teens get started to posting things online in terms of photos and videos without knowing the threats online. So, the first encounter they usually face the cyber bullies on social media apps and instant messengers. Moreover, teens and kids also get involved in bullying others online.

Furthermore, teens are getting involves in social media dangerous trends that can inure them badly or put them into life risks. Online dating with strangers over the years has become a norm for teens and tweens using their mobile gadgets. So, they use online dating apps and often get trapped with strangers and sexual predators.

Online dating is ultimately leading teens and kids towards adult content and digital devices such as mobile phones have become x -rated theaters in their pockets. The online sharing on social media platforms have made teen's victim of slut-shaming and self-obscenity is one of the most dangerous activity for teens due to the obsession with smartphone technology. That's why parents have to perform parenting online on their android devices.

Cyber bullying Research center statistics
  • Cyber bullying is quite different than traditional bullying it is happening 24/7
  • Almost 33.8% of the students are the victim of bullying online
  • Kids and teens between ages 12 -17 are more likely to bully online due to usage of digital devices
  • 35% of school going teens become the victim of bullying online
  • 30% of school going boys have to face bullying at school & on digital playgrounds

Where to Set Android Parental Control

Does the question arise where you need to set parental tracking to know what kids and teens are doing all the time on their mobile gadgets? The answer is pretty simple parents have to know every single activity kids and teens are doing on the web, the cellular network of a cellphone and most importantly on installed social messaging apps and instant messengers. These are the places of a mobile device where children are used to spending most of the time without having the consent of the parents or they do it secretly.

You may have heard the term " pocket porn " it comprises watching adult content on mobile devices installed or built-in browsers especially late at night. Parents have to know what sort of websites children used to visit and what sort of social media platforms they are using currently. So, parents have to do online parenting on android devices screen, web browsers, call logs, messages inbox and installed the application. All you can do when you have parental tracking software for android packed with the dozens of features.

What to do to Set Built-In Android Parental Control?

The contemporary digital devices have built-in controls that empower parents to set limits on their activities on their gadgets and tablets. Built-in activity limiting tools are the first line of protection against kids' and teens' inappropriate activities. Let's get to know how you can use it.

Create a pin

If you are planning for built-in parental control on an android device then you have to activate the screen lock first and foremost.

Go to home screen & tap on settings

Once you have access to the menu, then you choose the security of the screen lock that is placed at the personal subheading. Furthermore, underneath the screen security, tap on the screen lock and then you ended up entering the pattern password.

Create an account for a child

Most of the devices need a user account and the same is the case with the android device. Simply, parents should make themselves as a major user and make an account for kids that must be restricted.

Tap on the setting icon using the home screen

Underneath the settings, you will have an option to add new users. Now you will be directed to designate this as a major user account, and further you need to choose the restricted profile. If you have not activated the screen lock then you have to do it now.

At the time when the restricted profiles inhabit, you will have a list at the very top of the screen. Besides, go to the settings icon at the right place of the new user profile and give it a name.

Kid's settings

Below the restricted user profile you will encounter the complete list of apps that are available and it works on the device, likewise location settings, games, and browser. Now you need to pic the off and On manually particular apps that you consider inappropriate for kids.

Google Play

Now filtering the content on android comprises via Google interface, so you will wish to navigate to the Google play icon to deal with the content settings particularly for the restricted user account of your child.

This is how parents can use built-in parenting control on android devices, and you can restrict your children to certain apps and activities. However, modern youth is more tech-savvy than their predecessors. Therefore, what you think about first-line protection on kids' devices would enough to safeguard them from cyber dangers.

Who can Set Android Parental Control?

Parents or guardians can set parental monitoring on kids and teens android devices. Other than that it would consider illicit and intrusive surveillance on kid's devices. Therefore, our parental surveillance tool doesn't encourage anyone to spy on kids' and teens' devices unless they have a parental relationship with the children. A single mother and as well as a single father can monitor kids and teens android devices unless they have the children's supervision or parents have a mutual understanding of this particular activity. So, it is clear now only parents or guardians can set parental surveillance on kids and teens android activities to make sure their online safety.

Is it Enough to Set Built-In Android Parental Control?

As for as adolescents are concern parents can use built-in android monitoring or restrictions, but when it comes to the tweens and teens parents don't take them for granted. The youth who has opened their eyes under the influence of modern technology are fully aware of the built-in restrictions of smartphones devices and they know how to derail these restrictions to the fullest. So, parents have to go for the dedicated android parental control to know every single activity kids and teens have performed or performing in the present time on their digital devices. Otherwise, they are putting their security at stake and at the end of the somehow they will face digital nightmares particularly in the form of stalkers, bullying online, slut-shaming, bunny hunters and plenty of other inappropriate activities and become sexually exploited.

The Bottom Lines:

Parental control for android is the best solution for the online parenting of kids rather than just wasting time on built-in parenting control settings in android phones. Parents have to get their hands on the dedicated monitoring app for kid's safety rather than getting hands on the one that gets exploited by the tech-savvy young generation.