Hi everyone, I’m MaxSim, Cable & Wireless’ SIM Card enabled by the fastest LTE A mobile network in Seychelles, and welcome back to this month’s new blog issue.   We cover little bytes of everything-tech, are you excited for this month’s Byte?

If there is anything specific you would like for us to discuss, feel free to send over some suggestions on our Facebook & Instagram pages!   

So, here’s a byte on Parental Controls!

Parental controls are features that allow parents to supervise their children’s access to digital content. These can be used to filter inappropriate age-restricted media, safeguard data or even to minimize daily screen time!   

We live in a rapidly increasing technological world, and with readily accessible internet, children are often vulnerable if left unattended. No parent would leave their children unattended in shops, or an unknown place; why would we leave them alone online? With various parental controls you can ensure the safety of your child on the internet by limiting content, as well as guaranteeing that they are not spending all their time on their devices!   

By promoting the use of parental controls, we also need to respect and understand how our children (of different ages) tend to consume media. If you have an understanding teenager on your hands, it may be beneficial to establish boundaries rather than restricting. You can enable a tool that monitors screen time on apps and reports back to you, this way you can still have an idea of what they are accessing, while building trust and healthy communication by taking the time to learn how your child uses technology.

If you are implementing any options, do communicate it beforehand so they understand that you value and respect their privacy. Otherwise, there is always a chance of retaliation, even if your best interest is the child’s safety.   

Here are some easy parental control options you can consider and are easy to set up:

• For iOS:
  • Apple Screen Time:  You can check screen time in the Settings Menu on your iOS device. Here you can manually set time limits on Apps (like Social Media) and set up Content and Privacy restrictions.
  • Apple Family Sharing: This gives you access to the above features through your own iOS device. Once you add your children to the account, you can manage devices, purchases, and screen time in your household.
  • Per-Session limits with Guided Access: For smaller kids you can set up a precise time limit on how long they use the device, i.e. you give your iPhone or iPad to a toddler to play games or watch some cartoons. You can turn on Guided Access by going into Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access.
  • More info on Apple Parental Controls

• For Android:
  • Play Store: You can directly set up restrictions on downloadable content from the Play Store, after this certain apps will be blocked for download. This is especially useful if card details are added to the account and you want to avoid unwanted purchases. Learn more here 
• Google Family Link: This an App from Google that allows parents to view screen time, set boundaries and restrictions on content, and even set up bedtime! You can even lock the device if they are easily distracted by it. You can download Google Family Link here. If you find it difficult to set up, here’s a quick how to 
• AppLock by IvyMobile: This is a free App available on Play Store that allows you to ‘lock’ certain apps on your phone. This is particularly useful when you give your phone to a small child to watch cartoons or play games, if they find themselves back on your home screen, they won’t be able to access sensitive accounts like Banking Apps, your private messages etc…

Before you create strict limits on your children’s usages, keep in mind some exceptions. Screen time is not created equally, and with children adapting more to online learning, experts say that schoolwork or homework should not be counted towards their daily screen time. We should also keep in mind that due to the pandemic many face-to-face interactions are not possible. For teens, socializing is an important part of their lives and this can happen virtually, now more than ever, they can bond over video games or on social media!

Well, that was a great chat we had, I hope now you know a little more on Parental Controls.

If you have any apps and methods you like to use for parental controls, do let us know on our social media channels!

I’ll be back next month for another Byte.