Best Parental Control Software

Do you feel like your child is constantly Tweeting, Snapchatting, status updating or uploading to Instagram?

The internet is a big concern for many parents around the globe. The web has become a daily addiction for many youngsters, some as young as primary school age. Worryingly, parents have little or no control of what their children are doing online or even who they are communicating with!

With most children having access to the internet on a mobile device, tablet or computer, they are able to isolate themselves easily. They can shut their bedroom door and access the online world in a matter of seconds.

If you’re concerned about what your child is up to online then parental control software is a great measure to put in place. Not only can it limit how long they are allowed online for, it will give you peace of mind knowing that restrictions and monitoring have been put in place.

Qustodio is a popular choice of parental control software and works on iOS, Mac, Windows, Android, and Kindle.

The core features are listed below:

Facebook monitoring

Keep an eye on their social networks – including viewing status updates, photos and friends.

Set time restrictions

You decide how much time is allowed on the internet each day, per device. Simply set a schedule for the allocated time frame.

Block games & apps

Choose which games and apps they are allowed access to and when.

Location tracking

Keep track of your child so you know their whereabouts at all times. Qustodio’s location monitoring feature tracks their location in real time.

Track calls and SMS

Find out who your child texts and phones. Additionally you can read the text messages and block any unwanted numbers causing you concern.

Reporting

Qustodio’s activity reports allow you to see what your children have been up to. The reports are presented in charts and graphs which are easy to understand. You can select the day, week, or month option to gain an overview of everything during that time.

Multiple devices

With Qustodio you can monitor as many devices as you need and create multiple accounts so you can customise the level of control for each child.

Disadvantages:

• If the internet is not accessed via wifi (on their smartphone for instance) then this bypasses the parental control software
• Some users of the software have found that certain games cannot be controlled
• Like most things, nothing is 100%. There’s always a risk that something could slip through the net!

Summary:

In addition to setting up parental control software it’s important to have open, regular discussions with your children about the internet and being safe and assertive when online.

Schools and some youth clubs have sessions on topics such as online safety – encourage your children to attend these workshops.

You could also move the computer to a visible, open part of the home if this option is possible.