NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF/CONSUMER REPORTS) — Limiting the amount of time we spend glued to our electronic devices can be hard for adults, and it’s especially tough for kids.
As we are heading into the summer months, you may be wondering how you can keep reducing the time your kids are online.
Kids use their phones and laptops for school of course, but they also spend a lot of time just having fun on them. Now, the same companies that create these addictive devices are offering new ways to limit screen time and give parents some much-needed control.
With two young kids, Whitson Gordon knows he’s in for a lifetime of keeping an eye on them while they’re online.
"My biggest fear is just them seeing something that’s too scary or something that they weren’t really ready to learn," Gordon said.
Trying to keep your kids safe online can feel like a full-time job. Aside from reminding them not to share personal information or photos — parents worry about them talking to strangers, stumbling upon inappropriate content or just spending too much time staring at a screen.
"There are a lot of free options you can use to keep an eye on your kids online," said Melanie Pinola, Consumer Reports tech editor.
Pinola says tech companies are improving features that some parents might want to try.
Take Microsoft Family Safety — it’s built into Windows and also available as an app for Xbox, Android, and iOS. Apple’s parental controls for iOS and Mac are located in Screen Time Settings. Both allow you to limit screen time and set content restrictions on your kids’ devices.
There’s also the Google Family Link app, which is available for Android and iOS.
"With Google Family Link and a Google account you set up for your kids, you can do anything from monitoring their app usage to seeing where they are on a map," Pinola said.
The tools from Microsoft, Apple and Google also allow you to put restrictions on the apps your kids have access to. YouTube allows you to set up a "supervised experience" for kids under 13 that determines the types of videos your kids can watch. A safer option for younger audiences is YouTube Kids.
It's also important for parents to talk with their kids about the dangers of being online and encourage them to come to you if they come across anything disturbing, whether it’s bullying in a video game chat or inappropriate content.
