Keeping children safe online this summer

~ The best parental control apps for monitoring your kids’ activity ~

As the summer holidays roll around, many young people turn to screens to keep busy, with half of parents believing their kids’ will spend more time online during the break. Yet, almost three in five parents are unsure how to monitor their children’s online activity, according to data from Vodafone. Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of communication specialist Crystaline, offers his advice on the best parental control apps to keep your children safe this summer.

Having a handle on how and when your children spend time online helps to protect them from issues such as cyberbullying and accessing inappropriate content.

While school holidays once acted as a respite from bullies, the rise of smartphones could mean young people experience more bullying during the summer break than if they were in school. Ofcom data shows that older children are more likely to be bullied on a screen than face-to-face — 84 per cent of eight to 17-year-olds have experienced cyberbullying compared with 61 per cent who’ve been picked on in person. Being in control of your child’s online activity during the summer is essential, given they will likely have six weeks of increased screen time without the support of school staff to resolve potential bullying issues.

Stumbling upon inappropriate content is also a major concern when children have unrestricted internet access. A September 2022 study showed almost half of children aged eight to 17 had seen harmful content in the previous month. This includes sexualised images, diet restriction and self-harm content and violence.

Although most parents worry that their children could be cybercrime victims, few consider that they could be the perpetrators. Recent research from the National Crime Agency shows that 20 per cent of ten to 16-year-olds have violated the Computer Misuse Act, which rises to a quarter for gamers. Examples include downloading software to access someone else’s device, attempting to access protected servers or making online purchases using saved card details without the card owner’s permission.

Many young people are unaware that these behaviours are illegal, so having a chat with your children and monitoring their online presence is vital to ensure they aren’t unknowingly engaging in illegal activity.

So, how can you do this?

Google Family Link

Unlike many parental control platforms, Google Family Link is completely free of charge. As a parent, you can download the app on Apple (iOS) and Android devices, although the child version is only available on Android. This option is unique in that you can approve, block and edit the permissions for each app your child wants to download, which is perfect for restricting access to harmful content. For older children who are likely to be out with friends, you can also see where they are, how much charge their devices have and receive notifications when they arrive at or leave a certain location.

Screen Time Labs

It’s been possible to set screen time limits directly onto your child’s device for a while now, but what makes Screen Time Labs different is the number of features it provides. Rather than blanket restrictions, the app allows you to instantly pause their devices, such as during mealtimes, as well as set them tasks which you can reward with extra screen time. There is also a ‘free play’ option where parents can temporarily override settings, ideal for long car journeys on summer days out. Screen Time Labs offers a free version, which is limited to one device, or a paid version for $6.99 (roughly £5.46) per month.

With six weeks of freedom (and hopefully a bit of sun), the summer holidays should be one of the best times of year for young people. Having your child’s online safety in hand means they’ll have a fun summer in the bag.

For more advice on keeping your children safe online, visit Crystaline’s Cyber Parenting hub.