To that end, it gives you the power to decide whether or not your child’s Google account saves their activity on Google sites and apps.īut there are a couple major downsides to this feature. One, you actually have to log into your child’s account and go to their Google Account manager to see what they’ve been searching and which websites they’ve been visiting (the information is not accessible directly through the Google Family Link app). Google Family Link uses Google’s built-in browsing history function to let you monitor what your children are doing online. Google Family Link’s web filters and web supervision tools are very lacking compared to those of premium parental control apps. The options include Try to block explicit sites and turn on SafeSearch, but that’s it, whereas Qustodio, Net Nanny, and Norton Family all allow you to filter by various content categories like Entertainment and Music, Mature Content, Shopping, Advertising, File Sharing, Social Networking, Alcohol, Gambling, and more. I tested the filters out on my child’s device by entering search terms that would normally bring up results you may not want your child to see, and it successfully removed mature and explicit content (like violence and gore) from their Google search results. Google Family Link’s web filters let you decide what kinds of sites your child is able to visit. It does this by giving you the ability to block explicit sites and search results and filter websites with a customizable blacklist and whitelist. That said, you’ll receive a notification if they do so, and their device will be locked for 24 hours, giving you an opportunity to talk it over with your child. This means that they’ll be given the ability to stop your supervision of their Google account at any time without needing your permission. Important: When your child is 13-years-old (or whatever the age requirements to have a Google account are for your country), they’ll be given the ability to manage their own account. In addition, Google Family Link has some other useful features such as the ability to filter what your child can see on Google Play and to manage in-app purchases. Activity reports - Shows you information about your child’s device use, including screen time, app installs, used apps, and more.Scheduling - Choose specific times of the day or week when your child is or isn’t allowed to use their device.Location tracking - Shows you where your kids are.Time limits - Determine how long your kids are allowed to use their devices.Web and app filtering - Choose which sites your kids can visit and what apps they can install.Google Family Link comes with the following features: So if you’re looking for a more versatile and powerful solution, you should consider using a premium app like Qustodio, Net Nanny, or Norton Family instead. You can also filter the apps your kids can see on Google Play and manage their in-app purchases.īut Google Family Link is missing many useful features available on the best parental control apps. Google Family Link allows you to filter websites and applications, set app and device usage limits, and track your child’s location. Rather, it’s more useful working alongside paid parental control apps like Qustodio, Net Nanny, or Norton Family, which will give you finer control and access to more advanced features with which to monitor your children’s online activities and to shield them from inappropriate online content.Īfter extensive testing and research of Google Family Link, I concluded that it’s a basic but functional parental control app. Additionally, many of Google Family Link’s supervision features don’t work on Windows, macOS, iPhones, and iPads.įor all of these reasons, I can’t recommend Google Family Link as your primary parental control app. And it effectively ceases to function once your child turns 13-years-old (or the applicable age in your country), as they’ll be given the ability to turn off your supervision. There’s no web app, so you can only monitor your child’s device usage from your phone. What you won’t find on Google Family Link are features like more granular web filtering and screen time limiting tools, geofencing, or the ability to monitor your child’s texts. Uniquely, Google Family Link also lets you restrict what apps your kids can download from Google Play and approve or deny their Google Play purchases. Google Family Link has most of the basic features you’d expect from a parental control app, including web and app filtering, usage and screen time limits, and location tracking. Google Family Link is a decent free parental control app for Android and Chromebook users, but it’s missing many features offered by premium parental control apps like Qustodio or Net Nanny.
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