Both Android and IOS allow you to protect children from the dangers of cell phones much better than you might think. Find out what can be done and how.
“If I bought my 13-year-old son a cell phone, the first thing I would tell him is: this cell phone is not yours“, psychologist Álvaro Bilbao said in March in an interview with: “You can use it, but I can supervise it, I can decide to take it from you, I can give it to you, it’s not your cell phone, it’s mine.”
This way, the child will realize that it is not something they can use freely, to do whatever they want. And there must be clear rules. Two of the most important are that in the places where we are together we cannot use it, that is, at the table, when we are eating, we cannot look at our cell phone, neither you nor I. The second is that your cell phone cannot sleep in the same room as you because it will disturb your sleep”, he continued.
“And, of course, they have to have time limitations, spaces with and without. Unfortunately, we see that there are addiction problems and they often arise because there has not been any type of control. Children are given a cell phone, often too early, when they are not nearly mature enough to use it, sometimes at 10 years old, sometimes at 9, and once they have it, they use it without supervision”, the specialist also pointed out.
Many parents are left in limbo: they admit these dangers, but if their children don’t have cell phones they are disowned by their peers, they become uncontactable, sad and upset with their parents. And spying… well, spying shouldn’t be done to anyone. But there is a balance: talk to the child and explain that their cell phone will be under their supervision. Here’s how to do it….
No Android
Google provides the Family Linka tool that respects each family’s choices and helps create positive digital habits. With the tool it is possible to understand how the child uses the device, manage privacy settings and establish basic rules for the digital environment — all remotely.
How to activate
To set up parental controls on Android, you need to use the Family Link app. A guardian/responsible family member must use their own Google Account password to make the initial settings. The process to adjust filters, for example, from the Google Play Store, follows these steps:
1. Open the Family Link application;
2. In the top left corner, select the child you want to supervise;
3. Click on Google Play Controls;
4. Click on the type of content you want to filter (applications, games, movies, etc.);
5. Choose how to filter content or restrict access based on age rating.
What is possible to do
Family Link allows some control over your digital routine. It is possible to define the most appropriate screen time for the child, establishing daily usage limits and scheduling rest or blocking periods during school hours. This directly helps to create a more balanced routine.
When managing applications, you can set specific limits for each app or allow unlimited time for educational apps. It is also possible to block unwanted applications and require prior approval to install anything new from the store.
Content filtering extends to Google services. You can set up controls for Chrome, Search, and YouTube to block inappropriate sites and manage what your child sees online.
In the Play Store, the parent can restrict downloads of applications, games, films and books based on maturity level or age rating, to prevent the child from coming into contact with inappropriate language or themes.
How to know what your child does on Android
Monitoring goes beyond what is accessed on the screen. With Family Link, it is possible to locate the child on a map when they have the device on the street, which brings more peace of mind to parents. The system also sends important notifications, alerting you when the child arrives or leaves a certain location.
Another useful feature is viewing the device status. You can see the remaining battery life on your child’s phone and even call the device remotely.
Furthermore, the responsible family member has full management of the account’s security: they can change or reset the password if the child forgets it, edit personal information and manage data and privacy permissions.
No iPhone
Apple’s system includes parental controls built into the feature Usage Time.
How to activate
Before setting the rules, you need to confirm that Family Sharing is set up and that your child’s account is part of that group. With that done, the activation process is simple:
1. Open the Settings app, swipe down and tap Screen Time;
2. In the Family section, tap your child’s name;
3. Tap Content and Privacy;
4. If prompted, enter the Screen Time access code;
5. Enable the Content and Privacy Restrictions option.
What is possible to do
With restrictions activated, there are several options to protect the device — and one of the most relevant is financial control.
To avoid credit card surprises, the system allows you to completely block the installation of new applications and prevent in-app purchases. It is also possible to configure the device to always require the password in any transaction.
In addition to protecting your wallet, it is of course possible to manage what your child sees. If parents consider that their child is not yet old enough to use an unrestricted browser or access video calls, they can disable native applications such as Safari, FaceTime and Camera.
The interesting thing is that the application is not deleted from the iPhone: it is just hidden on the main screen until it is authorized again.
Content filtering is also complete. You can prevent explicit rated music, movies, and TV shows from playing. When browsing online, control goes further: the system can automatically limit access to adult sites or, if you prefer total control, restrict browsing to a list of approved sites.
Finally, for those concerned about online interaction, it is also possible to block multiplayer games and prevent strangers from adding the child as a friend on Game Center.
How to know what your child does on the iPhone
A common question is where these adjustments are made. There’s no need to install third-party applications or pick up the child’s cell phone all the time: everything is managed directly in the parents’ iPhone Settings.
When accessing the Screen Time tab on the parent’s device, simply select the child’s name in the Family section to apply remote locks. Changes are automatically synced and applied to your child’s iPhone, as long as they are both in the same Family Sharing group.
Furthermore, the resource works as a permissions manager and helps monitor where the child browses and what data they share. In the privacy section, you can see and limit what each application can access.
It is possible, for example, to prevent new games or social networks from requesting access to your microphone, photo library or contacts. A crucial point is blocking Location Services: it is possible to configure the device so that no application can locate the child or share where they are through Messages.
