Android Parental Controls apps - recommendations
Discussion
Hi all,
So eldest little Lima is getting a phone for Xmas!
Being an overbearing fascist parent, I want to monitor everything they do
It's a Samsung Android phone, and we're an Android household, so I've setup the Google family link, which is good for screen time, location sharing, app control, but doesn't monitor messages.
I've also set the DNS to use "family.cloudflare-dns.com" to get the malware and explicit content filtering at DNS levels - this could be changed but it's buried fairly deep into the system so will just need to accept that risk for now.
I've read about MM Guardian, and a few others, but most review sites seem pretty spammy, and all seem to contradict one another on what's best, or are just woefully out of date.
Any recommendations on what to try? Happy to pay a few $$$ to have it setup.
Thanks!
So eldest little Lima is getting a phone for Xmas!
Being an overbearing fascist parent, I want to monitor everything they do
It's a Samsung Android phone, and we're an Android household, so I've setup the Google family link, which is good for screen time, location sharing, app control, but doesn't monitor messages.
I've also set the DNS to use "family.cloudflare-dns.com" to get the malware and explicit content filtering at DNS levels - this could be changed but it's buried fairly deep into the system so will just need to accept that risk for now.
I've read about MM Guardian, and a few others, but most review sites seem pretty spammy, and all seem to contradict one another on what's best, or are just woefully out of date.
Any recommendations on what to try? Happy to pay a few $$$ to have it setup.
Thanks!
macstorm73 said:
Google family link, think it’s called Google families now. Used it to control a stroppy son for a few years. Does a great job of time limits, screen time etc and is free.
Start with that, it should do most things that you need
Thanks! Got that setup already so good to go - it doesn't monitor messages / whatsapp stuff, so will need to make a call on that I guess?Start with that, it should do most things that you need
I'm kinda going through this with the missus 10 year old,he's getting a Chromebook for Christmas.
He's got a Nokia 8110 4G at the moment that I set up for him, but in April she wants him to have her old Samsung S8+ is there a way with family link to control wifi/4G off at a certain time?
He's got a Nokia 8110 4G at the moment that I set up for him, but in April she wants him to have her old Samsung S8+ is there a way with family link to control wifi/4G off at a certain time?
Following this with interest! Our daughter moves up to high school next autumn so her next birthday present will be a phone.
Family Link and the DNS filter definitely look like a good starting point.
Still not entirely certain whether Android or iOS is the better bet for her, although my original idea of a refurbished Nokia dumbphone from the early 2000s was vetoed by the mrs...!
Family Link and the DNS filter definitely look like a good starting point.
Still not entirely certain whether Android or iOS is the better bet for her, although my original idea of a refurbished Nokia dumbphone from the early 2000s was vetoed by the mrs...!
Google family link is good for the basics.
We're also using a Firewalla Purple on the home network, this enables to do some further finetuning on which device can access what (useful with a resourceful teenager in the house), and it offers further protection IMHO. Very easy to use.
There's a cheaper SE version being released, FYI: https://firewalla.com/products/firewalla-purple-se
We're also using a Firewalla Purple on the home network, this enables to do some further finetuning on which device can access what (useful with a resourceful teenager in the house), and it offers further protection IMHO. Very easy to use.
There's a cheaper SE version being released, FYI: https://firewalla.com/products/firewalla-purple-se
Jonny_ said:
although my original idea of a refurbished Nokia dumbphone from the early 2000s was vetoed by the mrs...!
I bought a new Nokia 8110 4G as a toy which I've palmed off on this missus 10 year old now, as default its quite dumb but did have basic apps for Twitter,Facebook installed. You cant remove these or so Nokia say but I found a way using an old version of Firefox.It has Whatsapp installed on it now as well, which works pretty much the same as Android/IOS version but without the backup facility.
Google Family link let's you set screen time limits, and downtime schedules (i.e. the phone is locked during this time), along with content restrictions on Chrome, YouTube, Play Store etc... It's pretty comprehensive, and has location tracking that works the same as the Google maps tracking.
The only thing it doesn't have is notification monitoring, i.e. what SMS's or WhatApp messages that have been received and sent. Not sure how much of a thing this will need to be, but feel useful to start with at least.
The only thing it doesn't have is notification monitoring, i.e. what SMS's or WhatApp messages that have been received and sent. Not sure how much of a thing this will need to be, but feel useful to start with at least.
Jonny_ said:
Following this with interest! Our daughter moves up to high school next autumn so her next birthday present will be a phone.
Family Link and the DNS filter definitely look like a good starting point.
Still not entirely certain whether Android or iOS is the better bet for her, although my original idea of a refurbished Nokia dumbphone from the early 2000s was vetoed by the mrs...!
From what I hear, iOS doesn't allow any 3rd party apps to control anything, so they're not good devices for kids as there's no great control capabilities.Family Link and the DNS filter definitely look like a good starting point.
Still not entirely certain whether Android or iOS is the better bet for her, although my original idea of a refurbished Nokia dumbphone from the early 2000s was vetoed by the mrs...!
You can access WhatsApp on multiple devices. Search WhatsApp companion mode to set it up. Android allows you to have multiple messenger accounts.
This seems to tell you where to find it on different phones. Alternatively, web.whatsapp.com allows access from a browser.
Text messaging. I've never used it, but Link to Windows might be an option?
This seems to tell you where to find it on different phones. Alternatively, web.whatsapp.com allows access from a browser.
Text messaging. I've never used it, but Link to Windows might be an option?
Edited by Fore Left on Friday 23 December 09:19
We use Qustodio on my son's (9 years old) iPad and Desktop PC and it works really well for us. You can have a free trial too to see if it meets your needs.
We've told him about it, and that it's for his protection, and he's ok with that.
I tend to just trust it now, rather than checking the logs too frequently. It won't be long before he's at the age where I don't really want to see what he's searching for!
We've told him about it, and that it's for his protection, and he's ok with that.
I tend to just trust it now, rather than checking the logs too frequently. It won't be long before he's at the age where I don't really want to see what he's searching for!
Where possible, dialogue is the answer. I was a sysadmin for many years and it's far better that the user base is educated to what and why, than spending their time trying to circumvent measures, which tech savvy kids will try to do. It's only a factory reset away for most of the suggested solutions here.
That said, kids can be a PITA and not always intentionally...
Our infrastructure allows me to block or throttle at an individual client or port level, though this wouldn't be practical or cost effective for most people who didn't already have most of it in place.
I did use a few years back, a device called Circle, that isn't difficult or costly to set up.
https://meetcircle.com/
A mobile app can be installed on kids devices to control their mobile data usage and timing, as well as working on your home network plugged into your router. As they get older, if they are tech savvy, they may work out how to circumvent it, however. Like I say, dialogue is key. Good for ending the 'Just finishing this game' discussion, as they know it just goes off at a given time so they start their last online game accordingly.
A pi-hole running ad, spyware, malware, phishing and other blacklists is always a good idea where home network users might be a bit more likely to click anything, as you just don't get them loading in the first place - it also improves network performance by ditching the ~30% of requests that are crap...
https://pi-hole.net/
ETA: It's astonishing how much s
t mobile devices try to access during normal usage:
Can also be used for blocking harmful spyware like TikTok that are pretty hard to actually stop otherwise.
That said, kids can be a PITA and not always intentionally...
Our infrastructure allows me to block or throttle at an individual client or port level, though this wouldn't be practical or cost effective for most people who didn't already have most of it in place.
I did use a few years back, a device called Circle, that isn't difficult or costly to set up.
https://meetcircle.com/
A mobile app can be installed on kids devices to control their mobile data usage and timing, as well as working on your home network plugged into your router. As they get older, if they are tech savvy, they may work out how to circumvent it, however. Like I say, dialogue is key. Good for ending the 'Just finishing this game' discussion, as they know it just goes off at a given time so they start their last online game accordingly.
A pi-hole running ad, spyware, malware, phishing and other blacklists is always a good idea where home network users might be a bit more likely to click anything, as you just don't get them loading in the first place - it also improves network performance by ditching the ~30% of requests that are crap...
https://pi-hole.net/
ETA: It's astonishing how much s
t mobile devices try to access during normal usage:Can also be used for blocking harmful spyware like TikTok that are pretty hard to actually stop otherwise.
Edited by Baldchap on Friday 23 December 10:53
Yes, we'll be in dialogue and working in IT and web I've always pressed the perils of the internet at large and the general "everyone on social media is a liar or a cheat" mantra.
But it'll be good to just keep an eye on stuff initially - the issue is that you can't un-see something that you shouldn't see! It's all good and well saying you'll check each night but that could be too late for some of the horrible stuff out there.
However, using Cloud Flare family DNS on the phone, and all the content ratings will help a lot.
I've also just checked out Windows Link, whilst not an alert type setup, it does let you see all messages and apps, so a means to keep a soft eye on things.
I'm not 100% sure we should monitor everything but let's see. I've read mixed reviews about Qustodio - and had a look at MM Guardian (which looks like an early app from 10 years ago!). Google family is the best looking TBH.
But it'll be good to just keep an eye on stuff initially - the issue is that you can't un-see something that you shouldn't see! It's all good and well saying you'll check each night but that could be too late for some of the horrible stuff out there.
However, using Cloud Flare family DNS on the phone, and all the content ratings will help a lot.
I've also just checked out Windows Link, whilst not an alert type setup, it does let you see all messages and apps, so a means to keep a soft eye on things.
I'm not 100% sure we should monitor everything but let's see. I've read mixed reviews about Qustodio - and had a look at MM Guardian (which looks like an early app from 10 years ago!). Google family is the best looking TBH.
Google Family Link works well. As does the native apple ios version.
We use Family Link for screen time limits and bedtime. We have gradually relaxed controls on apps / browsers over time. Obviously, the end game is to remove controls entirely. The kids are now 12 and 14.
Whatsapp is more tricky because you only need one rogue child in a group for it all to go NSFW
We use Family Link for screen time limits and bedtime. We have gradually relaxed controls on apps / browsers over time. Obviously, the end game is to remove controls entirely. The kids are now 12 and 14.
Whatsapp is more tricky because you only need one rogue child in a group for it all to go NSFW
Amateurish said:
Controls on the home network are easily circumvented by using mobile data.
Circle also controls mobile data usage, which is why I went for it years ago. Might be better alternatives now, but it was pretty good and they certainly still exist. Their support was excellent too.Again, any local control is a hard reset away from gone, however...
Amateurish said:
Controls on the home network are easily circumvented by using mobile data.
If you set the DNS to "family.cloudflare-dns.com" this will use the filtered Cloud Flare DNS - there's "security.cloudflare-dns.com" for Malware filtering only.https://cloudflare-dns.com/family/
https://developers.cloudflare.com/1.1.1.1/setup/
It can be changed, but the global DNS settings for Android are quite a few menus deep into the connections - it'd be great to lock this, but without an understanding of DNS and where the menu is it'll be pretty hard to circumvent.
To be fair, if they did reset it, then fair play!
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