How to Set Parental Controls on Google Chrome | Safe Browsing

Although the Internet has become a very integral part of our lives, we all know how scary it can be, especially for kids. Kids are little explorers who are always up to something. Thus it's only a matter of time before they explore the internet's undesirable content.

Google Chrome is a free Internet browser launched on December 11, 2008. A few of the features include synchronization with Google services and accounts, tabbed browsing, and automated translation. The Omnibox, a built-in address bar and search bar is also featured.

You need to set parental controls on Google Chrome or any other we browsers. So in this blog, I will explain how to set parental controls on Google Chrome to restrict access to websites with explicit adult content.

The blog mentions why you should do that, and different alternatives for the parental controls. After reading this blog, you can restrict access, block adult sites, tweak Chrome's settings to enable safe browning for your family safety.

How to Manage Your Kid's Activities on Google Chrome

The best way to set up parental controls on Google Chrome is through the Family Link App. You can manage your kid's Chrome browser, set screen time limitations on your kid's Android device or Chromebook when you use Family Link to create a Google account for them.

1. Set Parental Controls on Google Chrome

First, create a google account for your kid. Then use that account to sign in to your Kid's Chrome browser. Then link your kid's google account to the Family link app.

If your kid uses Chrome on an Android smartphone, you can only use Family Link to restrict websites or permissions. Then follow:

Step 1: Open your Family Link App.

Step 2 Select your kid's account.

Step 3: On the "Settings" card, tap on Manage Settings and tap on "Filters on Google Chrome."

Step 4: Now you can choose the settings appropriate for your kid.

• Allow all sites: You can choose which site your kid can visit. Your kid can not see the sites you have blocked.
• Block inappropriate sites: This filter helps block adult sexually explicit content from your kid's reach.
• Only allow specific sites: You can choose the sites your kid can access, and The app will block the rest of the other sites. Only the sites you authorize will be accessible to your kid.

2. Allow and Block Websites

If you block a website, your kid can request permission from you to access it. You'll receive a notification in the Family Link app, and you'll have the option to accept or reject their request. Follow the steps to allow or block websites:

Step 1: Open your Family Link App.

Step 2: Select your kid's account.

Step 3: On the "Settings" card, tap on Manage Settings and tap on "Filters on Google Chrome."

Step 4: Tap on "Managed Sites" then "Approved" or "Blocked."

Step 5: Tap Add an exception(plus sign) in the lower right corner.

Step 6: Put the name of the website or domain you'd like to block. You should include the www. component of the URL if you're adding a website.

Step 7: Tap Close(cross sign) in the upper left corner.

Things to Note in allowing and blocking websites

• Websites: If you block or allow www.google.com, the permission does not apply to sites that start or end differently, such as www.google.co.uk or settings.google.com.

• Domain: If you ban or allow an unlimited domain, such as Google, the authorization extends to sites with different beginnings or endings, like www.google.com and mail.google.com.

3. Change Permission Settings of Website

Along with allowing and blocking sites, you can choose whether or not your kid can grant site permissions to the websites they visit, such as the ability to utilize their location, camera, or get notifications.

Step 1: Open your Family Link App.

Step 2: Select your kid's account.

Step 3: On the "Settings" card, tap on Manage Settings and tap on "Filters on Google Chrome."

Step 4: Tap on "Chrome dashboard."

Step 5: If you want your kid to access the website, turn "Permissions for sites and apps" on, else turn "Permissions for sites and apps" off.

How does Google Chrome work on your Kid's devices?

kids receive a similar experience to adults when they sign in to their Google Account on their device. Although google chrome may upgrade available features from time to time, the following are some of the differences:

• Your kid can't use incognito mode.
• Chrome Web Store apps and extensions will be unavailable to kids.
• You can choose which websites your kids are allowed to view on Chrome, as well as limit their ability to provide permissions to websites.
• Chrome browser blocks violent and sexually explicit sites if "Try to block mature sites" is enabled for your Kid in Family Link.
• Chrome Sync is necessary for certain parental control features to work with your Kid's Google Account. On your kid's device, you can disable certain types of data collecting.
• Google may use your Kid's Google Activity settings to customize your kid's experience across Google goods and services by using Chrome browser history and website activity. This information, however, will not be used to tailor ads for kids under the age of 13. (or the applicable period in your country).

Why do you need to set Parental Controls on Google Chrome?

The Internet is a vast place, and you can find anything here. Within a few clicks, you can reach any corner of the Internet. It has made information readily available and made our life a whole lot easier. But the Internet consists of explicit content which is very inappropriate for young ones.

We all know how kids can reach precisely the areas they are not supposed to be. Kids by the age of seven have smartphones in their hands. And as the Internet is so viable, they can find all the age-inappropriate content from the Internet within a few clicks on their phone.

They can get access to adult sites containing sexual content, pornographic videos, and images which can cause them to get addicted to it at a very young age. More than that, it can even affect the kid's mental stability, causing them to suffer from many mental issues.

Kids can use Chrome browser to use various social media and talk to fake people, not knowing they could be online sexual predators, pedophiles, cybercriminals slowly trapping your kids and making them their victims. Kids can also easily fall victim to cyberbullying and harassment.

Furthermore, if the kids keep on digging, they can reach the dark side of the dark web, where illegal activities are performed. Unknowingly, your kids can get into illegal meshes, which you can find hard to help them get out.

Therefore, for these mentioned reasons, you need to set parental controls on Google Chrome to monitor your kid's internet activities so that you can block or allow websites and enable safe browsing and protect them from various threats or dangers on the Internet.

Alternative: How to Set Parental Controls on Google Chrome

Family Link App is one way you can set up parental control on the Chrome browser and block inappropriate things over the Internet.

However, the features are limited, and your tech-savvy kids can easily pass through the hoops and use other browsers to access the content. So as an alternative, you can use various monitoring and parental control apps to track their overall web activities.

Software like Fenced.ai helps set up parental controls on Google Chrome or any other browser. By setting Fenced.ai as a parental control app, you can track your kids' web browser history and limit their screen time. You can view visited sites, browsing history logs, and frequency of visits per site.

These features help you know if your kid is accessing any inappropriate sites, and you can take necessary actions accordingly. You can also use website blocker apps like Freedom, Limit, Stay Focused, WasteNoTime, Pause, etc.

You block or allow sites, filter sites on your kid's Android or iOS devices. These apps help to ensure that your kid is safe on the Internet.

Conclusion

So if you want to keep your kids safe on the Internet, you can use the Family Link app to set parental controls on Google Chrome. Using the Family Link app, you can block or allow sites' access on your kid's device.

You can also filter sites and decide what website your kid can access and what websites to restrict. Also, you can also use Parental Control Software like Fenced.ai to track your kid's web and browsing history.

Or, you can use various site blocker apps to manage what sites your kid can view manually. Before using these apps, remember that you are using these blocker apps to keep your kid safe and not restrict them or invade their privacy.