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Technology is a wonderful thing. But sometimes, particularly in the case of young children, it pays to keep an eye on how much influence that technology has on their lives. Google’s solution is Family Link, which gives you great insights into how your children are using their devices and potentially the content they see on them too.
How to use Android Family Link
There are two sides to Family Link: an app for the parents’ devices and another for the kids’. Run the Link for Parents app and follow the setup wizard to create a virtual family structure in your Google account that you can later add your kids to. First, they need Google accounts. An account is needed to sign into an Android phone or tablet anyway, but they can no longer piggy-back off your own login. Once this is set up, log them into the Children & Teenagers Family Link app on their device.
The big caveat is that Google Family Link can only exert control over accounts of children aged under 13 (or the applicable age of consent in your country). Once they reach that age, children are given agency over their own accounts. If they want to reject Family Link control, they can.
Google says setup the process doesn’t take more than 15 minutes, but it will likely take less if you’re tech-savvy. After that you can open Android Family Link and find out what your kids are up to.
Google Family Link Features
- Web and app filtering — Choose which sites your kids can visit and what apps they can install.
- Time limits — Determine how long your kids are allowed to use their devices or specific apps.
- Location tracking — Shows you where your kids are.
- Scheduling — Choose specific times of the day or week when your child is or isn’t allowed to use their device.
- Activity reports — Shows you information about your child’s device use, including screen time, app installs, used apps, and more.