What parents need to know about Google Family Link App

Digital devices like phones, tablets and laptops have become almost a necessity for today’s youngsters for learning as well as leisure. This exposes them to myriad cyber threats, making it necessary for parents to monitor their child’s online activities. In order to address this concern, Google has launched a parental control app called Google Family Link that not only remotely keeps track of the apps, websites, and accounts used by the youngsters but also allows parents to fix some digital rules to protect their young adults from falling prey to cybercrimes. Here is a low-down on this app.  

What is the Google Family Link app? 
Google Family Link app is a parental control app that can be used on both Android and iOS devices as well as certain specific Marshmallow phones. This app is absolutely free and very easy to use and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store on any compatible devices. For this to work, the app must be installed on the phones of the user and the parents and then linked together using Google accounts.  

What are the key features of this app?  
These features of the Google Family Link app will ensure safe digital experience for your youngster. 

Helps to find whereabouts  
Parents can at all times keep track of the location of their youngsters, be it at dance class or the football ground or café outing with friends. It is especially helpful to locate stubborn teens who often leave the house without informing the elders. 

Guides towards the right content  
The app may not be able to block inappropriate content on your youngsters’ phones but it sure has some settings such as filtering the Google Search, choosing the options that are suitable for young viewers and managing application use. Parents may also choose to block or allow app downloads using this app alongside locking the child’s device remotely, whenever they deem it necessary. This is how parents can ensure safe online experience for their kids.  

Tracks screen time  
Parents can easily set time limits on their youngsters’ phones using this app. This feature is called ‘lock-screen timing’ that doesn’t allow youngsters to spend more than a fixed amount of time in front of phones.