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Child Protection on Android: How to Make Mobile Device Safe for Your Kid?

Child Protection on Android

Safe Internet surfing for everyone is a complicated thing today. When we talk about the Internet, we usually describe is as a global ‘spider web’. Well, ‘world wide web’ name is there for a reason. But there is another, less poetic description – the Internet is a huge flea market where you can find literally anything. If you are looking for knowledge and facts – you will get them. And if you are looking for dirty things and you will find them as well.

But there is one big reason why people are looking for parental security options for Android. One of the main problems with Internet browsing if the fact that most of the time you cannot choose what ads and links you will see. Or what your child will get when he mistypes a term he would be looking for.

If you want your child safe while he is using Android device for Internet surfing, consider child-proofing kid’s mobile device. There are several things you can do to ensure that your child will not:

  • Get a link to porn mistyping a word
  • Infect the device with malware by clicking on a wrong ad
  • Use your credit card to by a game on Play Market or buy in-game bonuses
  • Meet strangers online and talk to malicious users who might have their own intentions
  • Reveal personal information that may be used for tracking location or identity theft

Child Protection Options on Android Devices

Before you choose a type of child protection on Android device, decide what effect you want to achieve. Thus, if your kid is still a toddler and likes to play with mum’s or dad’s phone, a simple ‘sandbox-type’ parent app for Android – depending on which one you would choose such app would show your kid cartoons or teach him sounds and words without giving an access to other phone or tablet options.

Child Protection on Android

Without getting into too much detail, here you have several Android child protection options. You can choose one to rely on, or turn couple of them into an improvised safety barrier. Some of the methods would be better for younger kids, others will work with teens. But keep in mind – children are tech-savvy and probably they soon will know you are limiting their device.

1. Built-in Android options. To be fair, Android devices do not have much to offer when it comes to parental control. But having a little imagination you will be able to make a device safer for your kid even with what you get.

If you want to prevent kid from launching certain apps, try establishing a restricted profile and limit its access to apps. This can be done at User screen – add a new profile your kid will use, and tap out apps you want to block. The main thing would be ensuring your kid cannot swipe to regular profile from your lock screen.

2. Child protection: app restriction on Android market. If you are worried about your kid installing unrated apps with explicit materials, you can restrict Play Store options. Launch settings screen within Play Store and you can choose user controls. All the media can be restricted from here based on ratings – you can easily set games downloads by age, block out music with explicit lyric and TV shows with ratings M or A.

3. Parenting apps for Android. This safety option is wide, as it includes numerous third-party applications you can install to your own or your kid’s personal device. You can find plenty of these on Play Store, but reading ratings and reviews beforehand would be a better decision.

Some of the parenting apps would allow you limiting content your kid will see online, some would give you an option of screen time limitation. There are as well ‘monster’ ones that have broader options. These monitoring apps would let you block concerning text messages and phone numbers that might intimidate your kid.

Parental settings for Android devices are the part of kids’ online security and it is essential you take care of it. The above-mentioned list is not a comprehensive one – Android OS is constantly being updated, and plenty of parental apps are being created every day. But you will surely find a way to work for you.

My name is Ray Newland, and I am a cybersecurity expert with a passion for ethical hacking. Over my 20+ year career, I’ve tested several messaging apps for security flaws to make the online world safer. In this blog, I share my knowledge and techniques to help you do the same for your loved ones.

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