- Block apps, filter websites, and set screen time limits
- Alerts for cyberbullying and predators in online games
- Set Focus Times and Pause the Internet® on phones & tablets
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Parental Control
What is parental control?
Parental control software is software that is designed to protect minors from age-inappropriate content. Examples of types of website content that parental control software typically has the ability to block include pornography, websites containing violece, and websites promoting the sale of alcoholic beverages.
What does parental control software do?
Parental control software typically contains a number of functionalities.
At its most basic level, parental control products contain tools to block inappropriate website content. Typically this is category based. But most products also contain the ability to configure whitelists and blacklists. Whitelists are lists of websites that the administrator (parent) has deemed to be okay—a whitelisted website will not be blocked even if it is classified as belonging to a blocked category. Conversely, a blacklisted website will not be allowed to display even when the category is not blocked.
Additionally, most parental control tools contain functions to control or limit the amount of time children spend at the computer:
These functions commonly allow the administrator to restrict access to the internet to certain hours per day. For instance, a parent could set up the control settings so that the internet, or certain programs, will be prevented from running after 10pm—when children should be preparing for bed rather than sitting at the PC.
Many programs also allow users to set an upper limit on the number of hours per day during which the internet, certain programs, or the computer itself can be accessed. If the daily hour limit is exceeded the child will be prevented from being able to access the website in question.
What other features should I look out for?
App blocking: This allows the parent the ability to entirely block specific programs, irrespective of the time or day or usage volume.
Invisible installation: Many parental control tools can install themselves completely invisibly on the system. This can make it difficult for even tech-savvy teenagers to devise ways to remove the program and circumvent the filtering.
Our Top 3 Picks
- 1Complete cybersecurity toolkit
- Features - Full-featured protection
- Support - 24/7
- Guarantee - 60 days money-back
Complete cybersecurity toolkitRead Aura ReviewAura offers a suite of user-friendly cybersecurity tools, along with powerful parental control features that let you control every aspect of your child’s digital activity. It’s also an affordable option, and it continues to grow and release new updates regularly.
What’s more, Aura is very easy to use, and parental controls enable you to carefully manage your child’s digital activity. There’s also a 14-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee, and we’d suggest taking advantage of these by giving Aura a try.
Aura Pros & Cons
PROS
A full cybersecurity packageSuper easy to useDark Web monitoring includedCONS
Full virus scans are time-consumingNot all features are useful for everyone - 2
Comprehensive monitoring of 30+ platforms- Features - Monitors texts, emails, and 30+ social media platforms
- Support - Online help center, live chat
- Guarantee - No
Comprehensive monitoring of 30+ platformsRead bark Reviewbark is the optimal choice of a parental control app for parents that want a tool that will do more than simply make nice marketing claims. bark is a product that has been extensively tested and trusted by parents and schools to protect over 5.9 million kids—and it has an outstanding track record for alerting parents to potential acts of self-harm, online predation, and more.
bark Pros & Cons
PROS
Proven real world abilityWorks on both Apple and AndroidMonitors more than 30 appsCONS
Not for the desktopNo free tier - 3
Complete protection for up to 10 devices- Features - Premium safety features
- Support - Free 24/7 customer support
- Guarantee - 60-day money-back guarantee
Complete protection for up to 10 devicesRead Norton ReviewNorton gives you easy-to-use protection with in-depth parental controls. Depending on the package, Norton Security includes full antivirus protection, firewall protection, identity and financial protection, parental controls, email and spam blocking, password manager, PC optimization tools and 25 GB online backup storage for up to 10 computers or devices.
When it comes to virus protection, while the Norton Security's detection rates may leave something to be desired, the solid parental controls and ease of use make it a great choice for users looking for average virus detection coupled with top of the line parental controls for their family.
Norton Pros & Cons
PROS
Antivirus, anti-malware, and anti-ransomware protectionIncludes cloud storage for backupSecure VPNCONS
LifeLock monitoring costs extraCloud storage space is very limited