As children become more tech-savvy, smartphones and tablets have become a staple in their daily lives, offering a mix of educational resources and entertainment. However, the increased screen time has brought the challenge of managing their exposure to potentially harmful content and online risks.
Take Sarah, for example, a busy mom of two kids, who hands over her old Android tablet to her eight-year-old son, Jake, thinking it’s a great way for him to play educational games and watch age-appropriate videos. A few weeks later, she notices that Jake is spending more time on the tablet than expected and is asking questions about things he shouldn’t be exposed to at his age. Concerned, Sarah takes a closer look at the tablet and discovers that Jake has accidentally stumbled upon inappropriate content while browsing and has even downloaded a few games with in-app purchases that drained her account.
In February 2024, Ofcom, a safety regulator company, reported that almost three-quarters of teenagers between the age of 13 and 17 have encountered one or more potential harms online[1]. The need for parental control is underscored by such reports and statistics.
This blog will walk you through how an MDM helps you put parental controls on Android tablets and smartphones, equipping you with robust features to safeguard your child’s digital journey.
Why is Setting Up Parental Controls on an Android Device Essential?
According to StatCounter GlobalStats, Android OS holds more than 70% of the global mobile operating system market share[2]. This makes it very common for children to have access to Android devices.
A child with unrestricted Android device access can be exposed to everything the internet has to offer. According to recent stats, 70% of children aged 7 to 18 have encountered inappropriate content online[3] making parental control the need of the hour.
Parental controls create a safe online environment for your kids and help you manage their digital habits effectively. One critical aspect of parental controls is limiting screen time on Android devices. It ensures your child’s device usage doesn’t interfere with other important activities like schoolwork, sleep, or outdoor play.
Additionally, screen time and monitoring features give you insights into how much time your child spends on their device and which apps they are using, enabling you to make informed decisions about their screen time.
Parental controls allow you to manage your child’s exposure to online content by filtering out adult content and other inappropriate material, giving you peace of mind about what they are viewing. Moreover, restricting apps and downloads is crucial to prevent access to applications that may be harmful or unsuitable for their age. It helps avoid accidental in-app purchases, which can be a common issue among younger users.
Understanding how to set parental control on Android devices is vital for any parent or guardian. These controls are an essential part of responsible parenting, that helps to protect your child while allowing them to explore and learn in a controlled and safe manner.
How to Put Parental Controls on Android Devices?
Android offers robust features that allow parents to set restrictions, monitor usage, and ensure a safe environment for their kids. Using the following methods you can put parental controls on Android devices:
a. Google Family Link: The first step is to download the Google Family Link app, which enables parents to create a Google account for their child. Through Family Link, parents can manage apps, screen time, and device bedtime. It also provides reports on app usage and allows parents to remotely lock the device.
b. App Management: Parents can control which apps their child can access. By approving or blocking app downloads from the Google Play Store, parents can ensure that only age-appropriate content is accessible. The Family Link app also allows setting limits on the usage of certain apps.
c. Screen Time Limits: With Android’s built-in features, parents can set daily screen time limits. This helps to manage the amount of time children spend on their devices and encourages a healthy balance between screen time and other activities.
How Does MDM Help?
The internet is the plethora of paradigms that opens the gateway of access to the world of information. However, it may have a concurrent impact if used inappropriately by young children. With the ease of access to detrimental websites and content such as pornography, violence, cyberbullying, drugs, etc., it becomes mandatory to create a transparent wall that can allow parents to monitor their kid’s activities on the devices and prevent irreversible damage.
This is the sole reason why MDM can be helpful in such circumstances and be necessary for parents to exercise and monitor the control of the device’s activities. But how can MDM help?
- Application Management
- Website Whitelisting and Browser configurations
- Location Tracking and Geofencing
- Screentime Reports
- Profile Switch Workflow
MDM can address all the major concerns that can help parents to make their devices child-proof. MDM acts as a parental control application doubling as a monitoring app with layers of added security, including application and website configuration and restrictions. Let’s explore all the relevant Android MDM solutions in detail and dive into the flexible method of restrictive Android device control.
How to Setup Parental Controls on Android Device with Scalefusion MDM?
Setting up parental controls on Android devices using Scalefusion MDM (Mobile Device Management) is a secure way to ensure a safe and controlled digital environment for your child.
Here’s how Scalefusion MDM Android device management features can help you manage and monitor device usage effectively:
1. Application Management
With Scalefusion MDM, you can control which apps and web apps are available on your child’s Android device. This feature lets you block irrelevant applications and restrict access to age-appropriate apps.
Scalefusion’s integration with Google’s Android Enterprise enables you to manage the Google Play Store on your child’s device. As a result, when children access the Play Store, they will only see apps suitable for their age and can install only those apps. Additionally, parents can remotely uninstall and delete unwanted apps through the Scalefusion dashboard.
2. Kiosk Mode
Kiosk Mode helps you to create a lock-down experience for your children by turning your child’s Android device into a dedicated kiosk. It enables you to restrict Android devices to a single app or a set of applications.
Limiting the number of applications also limits children’s screen time on Android devices. This ensures that your child can only use the device for its intended purpose, such as educational apps or age-appropriate games.
3. Web Content Filtering
Web content filtering enables parents to control the websites that children can access on their managed Android devices. Scalefusion MDM’s web content filtering feature allows you to configure web access settings to block unwanted websites. It restricts browsing to safe, approved sites only, which enhances productivity and protects their network from security threats.
4. Location Tracking
Location tracking is an essential feature for keeping an eye on your child’s whereabouts and ensuring their safety. It allows parents to track the real-time location of the device, providing real-time details on their child’s movements. This feature is particularly useful for keeping track of their location when they are away from home – at school or playground.
5. Geofencing
With the Geofencing feature, parents can set virtual boundaries on a map. When your child’s managed Android device enters or exits these predefined areas, you will be notified about their actions. Parents can access geofencing reports from Scalefusion’s centralized dashboard.
6. Reports and Logs
Scalefusion dashboard allows parents to generate a wide range of reports that provide important information on their kid’s Android devices, from device data usage and screen time reports to location and battery level reports.
Reports and logs help you make informed decisions about your child’s device usage and provide you with detailed insights into how the device is being used. A few other reports offered by Scalefusion MDM are:
- Device On/Off Reports: Provides insights into the number of times your child turns the device on and off.
- Unlock Attempts Reports: Tracks the number of times your child has attempted to unlock the device.
- Connectivity History: Provides detailed information about the Wi-Fi and mobile networks to which your child’s device was connected.
7. Separate Device Profiles
Scalefusion MDM offers the capability to create separate device profiles for different users, each with its own set of restrictions and settings. This feature allows you to tailor the device to meet the specific needs and safety requirements of each user.
For instance, if you want your kids to focus on homework before playing games, you can set up a profile with essential educational apps and website restrictions during homework time. Once homework is completed, you can switch the device to a game profile, allowing access to games as scheduled.
Additionally, you can create distinct profiles for siblings who share the same device. This ensures that parental controls are customized and applied according to each child’s needs.
8. Device Restrictions
With device restrictions, parents can set limits on volume and display brightness and configure the duration after which the child’s device will automatically lock. This helps control screen time on the child’s Android device.
With the Geofencing feature, the parents can create real-time tracking and implement a boundary of a certain radius in a physical location which would send a push notification to their devices as soon as the kid’s device is leaving or entering the specified predetermined location- the geofence.
By receiving push notifications of the location activity of their kids, the parents can determine and observe the boundary area for safety precautions. The parents can also access historical data of geofencing reports in the centralized dashboard console.
Opt Scalefusion MDM for Robust Parental Control on Android Devices
Scalefusion’s MDM solution offers robust parental controls designed to keep Android devices safe for children. It provides strong digital security by protecting device privacy and maintaining stringent privacy settings. This ensures a secure and controlled environment for your child’s device use.
Book a free demo to experience these parental control features firsthand and start your 14-day free trial today!
FAQs
1. How to turn off parental control on Android?
To turn off parental controls on Android, start by opening the Google Play Store app on your device. Tap the profile icon in the top right corner, then navigate to “Settings” and select “Family.” From there, tap on “Parental controls” and enter your PIN if prompted. You can then toggle off the parental controls or adjust the settings as needed. This action will disable any restrictions that were previously set for app purchases and content, giving you more flexibility in managing your device.
2. How to limit screen time on Android?
To limit screen time on Android, you can use the built-in Digital Wellbeing feature or third-party parental control apps. In Digital Wellbeing, navigate to the “Dashboard” in your device’s settings to set daily limits for individual apps. You can also enable “Focus Mode” to temporarily block distracting apps.
For more comprehensive control, third-party parental control software such as Scalefusion MDM offers additional features, such as setting overall screen time limits, monitoring app usage, and scheduling device access. These tools help manage and balance your child’s screen time effectively.
3. How do I use Kids Mode?
To set up a kids mode on an Android device, open the Settings app, navigate to “Accounts and backup,” then tap on “Users.” Select “Add user or profile” and follow the on-screen instructions to create a new account. Choose the option to create a Restricted profile and set a security login option, such as a PIN, for the new profile. You can then select which apps the restricted profile can access by toggling off any apps you prefer your child not to use.
4. How to childproof your Android and make it kid-friendly?
To child-proof your Android tablet and make it kid-friendly, start by setting up Kids Mode or a similar app to restrict access to inappropriate content and manage app usage. Enable parental controls to set limits on screen time and content. Ensure only age-appropriate apps and features are accessible. These steps will help transform your Android tablet into a safe and secure device for your child.
5. Can parental controls see everything?
MDM solutions provide a robust set of tools for parental controls, but they do not offer complete invisibility. While it is effective for managing app usage, monitoring websites accessed, and restricting content on Android devices, it has limitations. MDM generally cannot access the actual content within apps, such as messages or photos exchanged on messaging platforms.
6. Is Android parental control safe?
Yes, parental controls for Android with MDM are generally effective and provide a layer of security for your child’s device. They help by restricting access to inappropriate content and monitoring app usage. However, it’s important to understand their limitations: MDM usually cannot access the actual content within apps, such as chats or photos exchanged through messaging apps. Therefore, maintaining open communication with your child about responsible device use remains crucial.
