Parents have to download the Family Link app on their Android smartphones, and create new credentials for their children. If you live in the USA and have a kid, you can request an invite on the Family Link page.
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The app not only controls the decision on the child’s online activity, but also allows parents to lock the phone if it is distracting the child from focusing on other activities.
And how does Family Link help ensure that kids are staying safe on their devices? Kids 13 years and older can sign up for a Google account without parental intervention.
What parental controls does it offer?
Although the ubiquitous smartphone (or tablet) with Internet connectivity brings knowledge to the hands of children, it might also be disastrous for them.
With Family Link, a parent is granted administrator level permission to a child’s device.
If you have a kid under-13 and wish to introduce him or her to Google, the company has just built an Android-based app for you. They also must have Android KitKat (4.4) or higher.
“When your kid turns 13, they have the option to graduate to a normal Google Account”.
To create this account, parents just have to get their kids a device that runs Android Nougat, download Family Link, and then create an account through the app. So, what happens when your child asks for an Android device?
Parents can monitor which applications their children are installing, and choose to block certain applications. There are weekly and monthly activity reports, and both mom and dad will be able to define a set of rules for their kids, such as time spent on mobile devices every day.
For those unaware, the newly launched Uptime is a video sharing app made by Area 120 that lets you share YouTube videos with your friends and comment and chat on them as well. The app will also let parents control the apps that their kids use. If they do not approve of it, they can simply deny permission, and the child will not be able to download the app. This will protect kids from adult content and other inappropriate material when doing web searches.
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Google is making a play to capture the family market. This way, parents can give feedback on the app and Google can work to customize it before the official release.
