These days, the average child gets their first smartphone when they are around 10 years old, and parents should be sure they are fully informed when deciding what type of phone to get their child.
According to DeviceAtlas, in the United States, the split between iOS and Android is about 60/40 as of 2019. Owning an iPhone vs an Android can become a very tribalistic matter, even for adults. It’s no wonder that children can feel very strongly about which type of phone they want. Depending on their social circles, having the latest version of a certain type of phone can easily become a popularity contest. However, while parents all want the best for their children and to make them happy, the safety of the child should always come first.
So Why Android?
Apple, creator of the iPhone, is well known for being very restrictive when it comes to how much control they allow developers to have when creating iPhone apps. This results in increased (but not infallible) security for iPhones from hackers and viruses, but it also makes it very difficult for developers to create robust parental controls for iPhones. While iPhones do come with a built-in parental control called Screen Time, it does not offer any monitoring capabilities. You can find some parental control apps for iPhones in the App Store, but there is almost universally a better version of each app for Android.
In contrast to iPhones, developers have much more freedom when it comes to Androids due to Android’s open-source platform. Therefore, parental control apps such as MMGuardian on Androids are capable of almost everything iPhone parental controls are capable of and much more. For example, with just the MMGuardian app installed on their child’s Android, parents are able to have access to the following features from their own phone (which can be Android or iPhone):
- Comprehensive Reports – View all of your child’s app usage, SMS text messages, web browsing, and more from the parent app on your own phone.
- Inappropriate Picture Detection – All pictures sent to and from the child phone via MMS messages and saved on the phone are scanned by our AI which alerts you if they are detected as being potentially inappropriate. Copies are saved in the MMGuardian app on the child phone for you to view, offering maximum privacy and security.
- Priority Alerts – All SMS texts and web browsing will be scanned, and if anything related to drugs, bullying, suicide, and other categories is detected, you’ll be immediately notified in your parent app.
- Screen Time – Lock your child’s phone either on demand or according to schedules to prevent them using it except for emergencies.
- Apps – Block any app, either permanently or according to daily limits and schedules. You can even set any app that is downloaded to be blocked automatically, requiring your approval before your child uses any newly downloaded app.
- Contact Blocking – Block or allow SMS from specific numbers.
- Safe Web Browsing – Set categories or specific websites to be blocked, and view their history from your phone.
- Location – Get your child’s location on demand or according to schedules.
- And more!
Not convinced that parental control software is necessary? We discussed the topic in depth in another recent post.
To get started with MMGuardian and receive a 14-day free trial, click here.
Consider also joining our Facebook group “Tech-Savvy Parenting” to discuss raising kids in the 21st century with other parents.
