Google Family Link app

aaron, Sep 21, 2019, 4:13 PM IST

Manipal: There are persistent allegations that children see unrecommended content on the internet. In order to resolve this fear of the parents, Google has introduced “Google Family Link”. Presently, the app is available with even more features. Here is information regarding the new features..

What is this app?

This software will not be useful for the kids and teenagers using the smart phone. This is an app which connects the children’s phone with their parent’s phone and helps in monitoring their activity. The app can be downloaded from Google Play Store. The parent’s phone must have “Family Link” app and the children’s phone must have “Google Family Link for children and teenagers”.

How to open an account?

The parent’s and children need to download and install the respective app separately. The parent’s and children then need to log into their Gmail accounts. If the children do not have an account, then an account needs to be created. It will be created only after their names and DOB is documented. The link to this account will be sent to the email account of the child. As soon as the children log in, the parents will get an e-mail in this concern. There, both the apps get linked.

Mobile can be locked

In cases wherein the children are addicted mobile use, be it during some programme, when out to play games, while eating food and while spending time with the family, they can be preventing from this by locking the mobile through the app. The parent can also decide on how long to extend the lock. During this period, internet cannot be accessed, but calls and SMS are allowed.

Available to what phones?

This app can be installed in smart phones running on android OS version Kitkat (4.0) and above it also works on IOS 9 and above.

Apps used by the children can be managed

The apps used by the children can be managed by the parents from their own mobiles through this app. The parents can observe on what apps the children use and for how long. Because of the app, it will not be possible for the children to download any app from the Play Store on the sly and without the permission of the parent. This works in the form of a filter.  The parents can directly download the necessary app onto the children’s mobile phone. The mobile activity of the children will be provided to the parents in the form of a weekly report as well.

Usage time can be controlled

Through this app, the parents can decided on how many hours the children can use the mobile phone and accordingly, the children can use the phone only during the decided time period. The app has “Day Time” and “Bed Time” options through which, mobile use during the day and night can be decided. The parents can also modify the limits. The app also informs of the deadline of the mobile use period allowed for the children.

Location tracking

Through the app the parents can check where their children are on real time. This is possible through the Google location tracker system. For example, in case the child has gone out on an excursion, the parents can check where the child has reached on real time through the “Live Location Sharing” option.

Can be used on the browser

All the features of the app can also be used on the web browser. But this app must mandatorily be installed in your mobile. If in case the children are using Chromebook instead of a smart phone, it too can be controlled through this app. However, the children must be signed into the Chromebook using their Google account.