Parental Control 2.0: Navigating the Evolving Online World with Your Kids

Technology is now seamlessly integrated into every aspect of our lives. This raises concerns about the safety and well-being of our children in the online world. Young individuals who may struggle to navigate the complex online landscape are particularly vulnerable. Parents now have another responsibility - digital parenting and controlling online safety. Fortunately, there are tools to help you keep your finger on the pulse.

Best Parental Control Software

One of the key issues that parents face is child internet security. Children cannot yet take online safety measures, but they desperately need it. If we consider cybersecurity for children, we can recommend VPN and secure means of communication. These could be instant messengers with built-in encryption or even fax. Do you know if there is a fax app for iPhone and iPad? Yes, a fax can now fit into an app on a smartphone and it completely replaces its landline counterpart.

#1 Qustodio

Parents who lack technical expertise but desire online security for their children will find Qustodio to be an excellent choice. However, it is important to note that the basic plan has limited features such as web filtering, website and app blocking, and screen time limits. On the other hand, the premium plan not only allows parents to monitor calls and messages but also provides personalized guidance through online calls to address any concerns. The premium plan's standout feature is its ability to offer individualized assistance for query resolution.

#2 Family Timeф

Parents who seek foolproof, prevention-based security for their children's devices have a solid option in Family Time. This comprehensive solution alerts parents when their kids surpass daily screen time limits, blocks explicit website content, and restricts access to certain applications. Furthermore, it enables parents to monitor their kids' phone and online communications, including SMS messages and social media exchanges.

#3 Net Nanny

Net Nanny impresses us with its focus on social media and customization options. One of its standout features is intelligent content filtering that analyzes sites your child attempts to access in real time.

Additionally, Net Nanny includes all the essential features expected from a parental control app. It allows you to block or restrict app usage, limit screen time, and view comprehensive reports on your child's screen use. YouTube monitoring is built-in, which is especially important given the popularity and diverse content on the platform. Furthermore, Net Nanny provides tracking tools that display the location and location history of all your children on a single map.

#4 Mobicip

Mobicip provides a wide selection of parental control features at three budget-friendly subscription price options. Parents can easily track their child's location, monitor the YouTube videos they watch, and manage screen time limits.

Curious about your child's interactions on specific social networking apps? Mobicip makes it possible, standing out as one of the top-rated parental control services we've examined, offering social media monitoring. Accessing this feature is as simple as signing up for the Premium plan.

#5 Wondershare FamiSafe

FamiSafe by Wondershare presents an excellent solution for parents and schools seeking to safeguard children from accessing misleading online content. Both plans include robust features such as call and message monitoring, screen time tracking, and more. The parental control plan for schools, available at a higher price of INR 19,689.76 (239.98) per annum, supports 11 to 20 devices per plan, with the possibility of expanding to accommodate up to 200 devices at varying prices.

#6 Eyezy

Eyezy offers parents an interactive centralized dashboard, providing a demo to help them analyze and make informed decisions about monitoring their child's online activities. The software is not intended for parents seeking a balance between respecting their child's privacy and controlling their device. This app monitors various aspects such as calls, emails, messages, websites, apps, locations, and even files and folders, including photos and videos on their device.

#7 Canopy

Canopy, a popular parental control software, ensures the security of children's devices while respecting their online privacy. Unlike other software, Canopy does not monitor calls, messages, or emails, providing a careful balance. It offers comprehensive features that give parents peace of mind, although its plans are more expensive compared to its competitors.

#8 Microsoft Family Safety

Microsoft Family Safety is a solid parental control app that truly shines when used with other Microsoft platforms. Its standout features include screen time limitations for Windows and Xbox devices, as well as multiple filtering layers to block inappropriate web content in apps, games, and Microsoft Edge. However, the app falls short when it comes to non-Microsoft operating systems and devices.

Notably, Microsoft Family Safety's web filtering is limited to Edge and does not extend to Google Chrome or other browsers. It also enforces safe search exclusively on its Bing search engine. On the other hand, the app provides additional functionality for users of the Windows Store. For instance, it allows parents to prevent their children from installing new apps without approval. Moreover, Microsoft Family Safety's integration with the Microsoft ecosystem enables precise location tracking, which ranks among the best available.

Conclusion

Modern parents need help in raising their children, because an abundance of information is not always good. We don't want the child to become interested in something harmful or be harassed on the Internet. Parental control software is the latest solution that helps set boundaries. We understand that restrictions are not always harmful, and in this case they are even useful.