As a parent, restricting controls of what your kids can view on your smartphone is a necessity hence the need to activate parental control on your android smartphones.
Parental controls are features which may be included in digital television services, computer and video games, mobile devices and software that allow parents to restrict the access of content to their children. These controls were created to assist parents in their ability to restrict certain content viewable by their children.
This may be content they deem inappropriate for their age, maturity level or feel is aimed more at an adult audience.
What are the categories of parental control
Parental controls are broadly classified into approximately four categories:
- Content Filters: which limits access to age inappropriate content.
- Usage Controls: which constrain the usage of these devices such as placing time-limits on usage or forbidding certain types of usage.
- Computer Usage Management Tools: which enforces the use of certain software.
- Monitoring: which can track location and activity when using the devices.
Parental controls on mobile devices
The increased use of mobile devices that include full featured internet browsers and downloadable applications has created a demand for parental controls on these devices. Some examples of mobile devices that contain parental controls include cell phones, tablets, and e-readers.
In November 2007, Verizon (A foreign mobile services provider) was the first carrier to offer age-appropriate content filters as well as the first to offer generic content filters, recognizing that mobile devices were used to access all manner of content from movies and music to short-code programs and websites.
In June 2009, with the iPhone Operating System version 3.0, Apple was the first company to provide a built-in mechanism on mobile devices to create age brackets for users that would block unwanted applications from being downloaded to the device.
In the following years, the developers of all major operating systems have presented in-built tools for parental control, including Linux, Android, Windows, and even the more business-oriented and now defunct platform Blackberry.
There are also applications that allow parents to monitor real-time conversations on their children’s phone via access to text messages, browser history, and application history. An example of one of these is TrendMicro which not only offers protection from viruses, but also offers parental controls to phones and tablets of almost all brands. Most of these offer the ability to add extra features to parental controls.
These apps have the features mobile devices already have, but have additional features such as being able to monitor and filter texts/calls, protection while surfing the web, and denied access to specific websites. Applications of this sort have created a rising competition in their market.
Mobile device software enables parents to restrict which applications their child can access while also allowing parents to monitor text messages, phone logs, MMS pictures, and other transactions occurring on their child’s mobile device; to enable parents to set time limit on the usage of mobile devices and to track the exact location of their children as well as monitor calls and the content of texts.
This software also allows parents to monitor social media accounts. Parents are able to view posts, pictures, and any interactions in real time.
Another function of this software is to keep track of bullying: Most internet providers offer no-cost filtering options to limit internet browsing options and block unsuitable content. Implementing parental controls and discussing internet safety are useful steps to protect children from inappropriate information.
Although parental controls can protect children, they also come with some negative factors. Children’s anxiety may increase due to parental controls.
How to Set Up Parental Controls in Android
2 Methods to Setup Parental Controls in Android
Since 2009 when it was first included to the Android platform, the Parental control function feature of Android has evolved, a lot of which are mentioned subsequently. This includes enabling parental controls as well as creating restricted profiles.
This is a tutorial on how to enable Google’s official Parental Controls feature on Android, and select a restriction level for content categories such as apps, games, films, TV, magazines, and music.
The Parental Controls feature allows you to restrict the content that can be installed and used on your Android, based on official content ratings and levels. Alternatively, you can create restricted profiles on some Android phones and tablets in your Settings menu.
First Method
- A tutorial on enabling parental controls
1). Open the Google Play Store on your Android device: Find and tap the Play Store icon on your home screen or on the Apps tray. - Tap the three-lined ☰ menu button: This button is in the upper-left position of your screen. It will open your navigation menu.
- Tap Settings on the menu: This will open your Settings menu on a new page.
- Scroll down and tap Parental Controls. You can find this option under the “User controls” heading on the Settings menu.
- Slide the Parental Controls switch to put it on: You’ll find this toggle switch in the upper-right corner of the “Parental controls” page. This will prompt you to set up a new parental control PIN.
- Enter the PIN code you want to use: Type a 4-digit PIN code to set up parental controls on this Android account. The Parental Controls PIN is different than your phone’s SIM card PIN at the boot screen and the screen lock code.
- Tap the OK button: This will prompt you to confirm your new PIN in the next pop-up.
- Enter the same PIN code again: Make sure to type the same exact PIN code to confirm here.
- Tap OK in the confirmation pop-up: This will confirm your new PIN, and enable the Parental Controls feature on this Android account
- Tap the content category you want to restrict: You can select a restriction level for each of Apps & games, Films, TV, Magazines, and Music here.
- Select a restriction level for the content category: You can select one of the applicable age or rating restriction levels, or select Allow all to allow all types of content in this category.
- Tap the SAVE button: This is a green button in the lower-right corner. It will save the selected restriction level for the category.
- Select restriction levels for each category: Make sure to go through each of the available categories to finish setting up your parental control options.
- Tap the back button: This button is in the upper-left corner of your screen. It will go back to the Settings menu.
- Tap Require authentication for purchases under “User controls.” You can find this option under “Parental controls” on the Settings menu.
- Select For all purchases on this device in the pop-up. When this option is selected, every paid purchase on the Google Play Store will require password confirmation.
- Enter the PIN code you want to use. Type a 4-digit PIN code to set up parental controls on this Android account. The Parental Controls PIN is different than your phone’s SIM card PIN at the boot screen and the screen lock code.
- Tap the OK button. This will prompt you to confirm your new PIN in the next pop-up.
- Enter the same PIN code again. Make sure to type the same exact PIN code to confirm here.
- Tap OK in the confirmation pop-up. This will confirm your new PIN, and enable the Parental Controls feature on this Android account.
- Tap the content category you want to restrict. You can select a restriction level for each of Apps & games, Films, TV, Magazines, and Music here.
- Select a restriction level for the content category. You can select one of the applicable age or rating restriction levels, or select Allow all to allow all types of content in this category.
- Tap the SAVE button. This is a green button in the lower-right corner. It will save the selected restriction level for the category.
- Select restriction levels for each category. Make sure to go through each of the available categories to finish setting up your parental control options.
- Tap the back button. This button is in the upper-left corner of your screen. It will go back to the Settings menu.
- Tap Require authentication for purchases under “User controls.” You can find this option under “Parental controls” on the Settings menu.
- Select For all purchases on this device in the pop-up. When this option is selected, every paid purchase on the Google Play Store will require password confirmation.
Second Method
A Tutorial on creating restricted profiles
- Open the Settings menu on your Android. Find and tap the Settings icon on your Apps tray, or swipe down the notification bar from the top, and tap on the quick menu. Alternatively, you can download and use a third-party app such as Mobile Fence Parental Control, Kids Place or Screen Time from the Play Store.
- Scroll down and tap Users. You can usually find this option under the “DEVICE” heading on the Settings menu. This will open a menu where you can add new user profiles.
- Tap + Add user or profile on the Users page. This will open the available user types in a new pop-up.
- Select Restricted profile in the pop-up. This will create a new, restricted user profile.
- Tap the New profile name at the top. This will allow you to set a new name for this restricted profile.
- Enter a name for the restricted profile. Type a user name for this new, restricted profile, and tap OK to confirm it.
- Toggle all the apps you want to allow to the “On” position. Tap the OFF switch next to the apps you want to allow in the restricted profile, and switch them to On. If you see a three-lined icon next to an app, you can tap it, and adjust the in-app settings for the selected app.
- Tap the back button on the top-left. When you’re done setting up the apps for the restricted profile, tap the back button to go back to the “Users” menu. The new, restricted profile will now show up on the “Users” list with its new name.
- Tap the restricted profile on the “Users” list. This will prompt you to confirm setting up this profile in a pop-up.
- Tap OK in the confirmation pop-up. This will set up the new, restricted profile on your Android, and go back to your lock screen.
You can tap the restricted profiles icon at the bottom of your lock screen to use it, or tap your Admin user icon here to enter your personal lock code, and use your own user account.
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