There is a huge number of websites and apps out there that you don't want your kids to see or use. Managing your child's online activity can seem like a daunting task, but it's now easier than ever, thanks to intelligent new products, handy software and built-in safety settings. Here are just a few ways to help establish a kid-friendly network.
Keeping things kid-friendly.
The Circle Home Plus is an all-in-one family network device that only takes minutes to set up. Simply connect it to your family's Wi-Fi, download the app and you're all set. The Circle Home Plus allows you to manage every device for each user — a perfect choice for families with children of all ages.
Amazon offers the Fire Kids Edition tablet, preloaded with the kid-friendly restrictions you'll need. A larger and simpler user interface makes things easier for your child, while built-in parental controls let you limit screen time. The tablet comes with a sturdy rubber case and a worry-free guarantee. After all, accidents do happen.
In addition, you may already have a device capable of creating your family network. Modern routers usually ship with some sort of parental controls. Simply select what filters are important to you. Advanced routers and whole home Wi-Fi solutions also keep track of individual users, set internet curfews and much more.
Staying safe with software.
Parental controls and filters can be set through your antivirus software. You can easily set limits or windows of internet time specific to weekdays or weekends. Many filtering options let you enable safe search, block games by content or rating, and limit communication on social media. You can also limit file downloading to make sure your child doesn't accidentally download unwanted software.
The Net Nanny app for Android delivers impressive parental control on your child's device. The app separates online content into 18 categories, giving you customizable control over what your child can access online. Aside from filters, the Net Nanny app lets you set a window of time or a max number of hours where your child can get online with their phone.
Taking advantage of built-in safety settings.
If you have a device with Windows 10, 8, or 8.1, you have access to Microsoft Family Controls. Create a child user account and adjust their settings on the Microsoft family safety website (account.microsoft.com/family/about). Here, you can limit screen time, view activity reports and much more.
If you're browsing on Google Chrome, you have access to create a supervised user. On the Google sign-in screen, click on the section that says "Create a supervised user." Once you create an account for your child, you can receive a report about which sites they visit, and block unwanted sites.
Best Buy 2016-09-12T09:30:50-05:00
