Protecting Youth Online: A Guide to Parental Controls and Online Safety Tools

Mastering Digital Online Safety: A Parent’s Guide to Navigating Online Parental Controls and Building Safe Internet Habits for Kids

Primary Category: Online Safety

Intended Audience: General Public / Others

Authors:
•  Shane Tews, President Logan Circle Strategies | Nonresident Senior Fellow
Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute | Strategic Communications, International Relations, Strategy
•  Portions by SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

Navigating the digital landscape has become increasingly complex for parents, especially with the myriad of tools and features designed to protect children online. This guide offers a comprehensive walkthrough of parental control options across popular social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as operating systems including Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, Linux, and iOS.

From setting up time limits, content restrictions, and privacy settings to enabling features like Family Pairing, Family Link, and Screen Time, these tools allow parents to manage and monitor their children’s online activities. However, while these technical solutions provide a layer of security, the real essence of digital safety lies in active parental involvement.

Parents should combine these tools with open conversations about online risks, fostering an environment of trust and education to help children develop responsible digital habits. Remember, technology alone isn’t enough; it’s the synergy of controls and communication that truly safeguards our youth in the digital age.

Mastering Digital Safety: A Parent’s Guide to Navigating Online Parental Controls and Building Safe Internet Habits for Kids

Social media platforms and operating systems offer a range of tools and resources to help protect young people online, but navigating these options can be overwhelming. This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions on using parental controls and safety tools on popular platforms and operating systems, empowering you to create a safer online experience for your children.

Protecting Youth Online: A Guide to Parental Controls and Safety Tools

By: Shane Tews

The digital age has brought unprecedented opportunities for learning and connection, but it also presents new challenges for parents and guardians.1 Social media platforms and operating systems offer a range of tools and resources to help protect young people online, but navigating these options can be overwhelming. This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions on using parental controls and safety tools on popular platforms and operating systems, empowering you to create a safer online experience for your children.

While digital platforms and operating systems provide various parental controls and safety features, the key to protecting children online lies in active parental involvement and oversight. Parents must not only understand and implement these technical safeguards but also maintain open communication with their children about digital safety, monitor their online activities, and stay informed about emerging online risks.

Simply enabling controls is not enough—meaningful parental engagement in children’s digital lives is essential for creating a safer online environment and helping young people develop healthy technology habits.

Guidance and Actionable Steps for Parents:

• Talk to your children about online safety. Have open and honest conversations about online risks, responsible online behavior, and how to seek help if needed.
• Use parental control tools on all devices. Set up parental controls on every device your child uses, including smartphones, tablets, computers, and gaming
• Regularly review and update settings. As your child grows and their online activities change, review and update the parental control settings to ensure they are still appropriate.
• Stay informed about new features and Keep up-to-date with the latest online safety features, risks, and trends to provide the best protection for your child.
• Seek support from online safety Utilize the resources and guides provided by organizations like UNICEF, ConnectSafely, Internet Matters, NetSafe, and the eSafety Commissioner.

Remember that parental control tools are not foolproof, and children may find ways to bypass restrictions. Open communication, education, and ongoing dialogue with your children are crucial for fostering online safety and responsible digital citizenship.

Here is a list of how to enable these tools with step-by-step instructions.

Social Media Platforms: Facebook

Facebook offers parental supervision tools that allow parents to gain insights into their teen’s activity on the platform. These tools do not allow parents to read their teen’s private messages.2

Tools and Features:

• Activity Insights: View the amount of time your teen spends on3
• Scheduled Breaks: Set breaks for your teen to encourage healthy usage 4
• Contact List: View your teen’s friends list and see who can message2
• Safety and Security Settings: Access and manage your teen’s safety and security settings.2
• Messenger Supervision: View how much time your teen spends on Messenger, see their contact list, and manage their message settings.2

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

While Facebook does not have specific youth verification tools, you can use the Privacy Checkup feature to manage your child’s privacy settings.5 Before adjusting the parental controls, review the account security settings with your child. They must understand the importance of not sharing personal information and only adding people they know personally.6

1. Tap the three horizontal lines from the home feed in the top right
2. Select the gear icon to access
3. Select “Privacy Checkup” under
4. Follow the step-by-step guide to review and adjust privacy settings, including who can contact your child, view their posts, and see their information5.
5. Ensure you have your child’s login credentials and enable two-factor authentication to keep their account secure.6

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

Facebook provides a suite of Brand Safety tools that can be accessed through the Facebook Ads Manager. These tools help to control where your ads appear and limit exposure to sensitive content.7

• Inventory Filter: This feature allows you to control the type of content your ad appears alongside. You can choose from three tiers:
• Full Inventory: This option provides no exclusions, meaning your ads can appear next to any content.
• Standard Inventory: This is the default setting and excludes your ads from content that is considered sensitive.
• Limited Inventory: This option provides the most restrictive filtering, limiting the reach of your ads to only the safest content.8
• Block Lists: Similar to negative placements on the Google Display Network, block lists allow you to exclude specific websites or publishers where you do not want your ads to appear. You can upload a block list with the URLs of the placements you wish to exclude.10
• Publisher Allow Lists: This feature lets you specify the websites or publishers where your ads appear. This gives you more control over where your ads are shown and helps to ensure brand safety.9
• Delivery Reports: These reports provide insights into where your ads are shown, allowing you to identify potential issues and make adjustments as 7

To access and manage these Brand Safety tools, follow these steps:

1. Go into Facebook Ads Manager and click the nine-dot icon at the top left under the home button.
2. In the pop-up menu, select “Brand ” If you do not see this option in your shortcuts, it will be in the “Manage Business” section.
3. In the Brand Safety dashboard, you will find five tabs on the left side of the screen: Overview, Controls, Block Lists, Publisher Tools, and Delivery 7

How Facebook’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

While Facebook does not offer specific youth verification tools, its parental support features contribute to safety by allowing parents to monitor their teen’s activity and connections. Parents can identify potential risks by viewing their teen’s contact list and activity insights and having conversations with their teens about online safety.2 Setting scheduled breaks can also promote healthy usage habits and prevent excessive time spent on the platform.4

Social Media Platforms: Instagram

Instagram offers a “Supervision” feature that allows parents to support their teens on the platform.12

Tools and Features:

• Time Limits: Set daily time limits for Instagram 13
• Scheduled Breaks: Block access to Instagram during specific 14
• Activity Insights: See how much time your teen spends on 12
• Follower and Following Lists: See who your teen follows and who follows 12
• Blocked and Reported Accounts: See who your teen has blocked or 12
• Safety Setting Selections: View your teen’s safety setting 12

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. Access the “Family Center” in the Instagram 15
2. Under app settings, select “Supervision” and then “Create “15
3. Choose how you would like to invite your teen to participate in 15
4. Teens can also initiate supervision by sending an invitation link to their parent via text message. Once the parent accepts the invite, the teen user has 48 hours to confirm the parent’s response.16

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Go to your profile and tap the three horizontal lines in the top right
2. Tap “Settings”
3. Tap “Privacy”
4. Tap “Limits and controls”
5. Choose the feature you want to manage, such as “Time spent” or “Who can interact with you.”14
6. Adjust the settings as needed

How Instagram’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

Instagram’s parental support tools help to protect teens by giving parents more involvement in their online experiences.13 The supervision feature allows parents to monitor their teen’s activity, see who they interact with, and manage their safety settings.12 Parents can help their teens develop healthy usage habits by setting time limits and scheduled breaks and preventing excessive time spent on the app.13 Additionally, the ability to see who their teen has blocked or reported can provide insights into potential online issues and allow for timely intervention.12

Using Third-Party Parental Control Apps for Instagram:

For more comprehensive control and protection on Instagram, consider using third-party parental control apps like Mobicip.17 Mobicip offers features such as screen time limits, activity monitoring, and content filtering, which can help parents create a safer online environment for their children.

Social Media Platforms: TikTok

TikTok offers a “Family Pairing” feature that allows parents to link their accounts with their teens’ accounts to manage various settings.18

Tools and Features:

• Screen Time Limits: Set daily or weekly screen time limits19
• Restricted Mode: Limit exposure to mature content18
• Content Filtering: Filter out videos with specific keywords19
• Comment Controls: Manage who can comment on your teen’s videos19
• Direct Message (DM) Settings: Control who can send direct messages to your teen18
• Private Account: Set your teen’s account to private so they can approve 18

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. In the TikTok app, tap “Profile” at the bottom
2. Tap the Menu button at the top, then select “Settings and Privacy”
3. Tap “Family Pairing”
4. Tap “Continue”
5. Tap “Parent” or “Teen,” then tap “Next”
6. Follow the steps to link the accounts20
7. Visit TikTok’s Safety Center to learn more about safety resources and tools. You can also find information on your account status and records of reports you have submitted 21

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. In the TikTok app, tap “Profile” at the bottom
2. Tap the Menu button at the top, then select “Settings and Privacy”
3. Tap “Family Pairing”
4. Select the account you want to manage
5. Adjust the settings as needed, such as screen time limits, restricted mode, and content filtering20

How TikTok’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

TikTok’s Family Pairing feature allows parents to customize safety settings based on individual needs.21 By linking their account to their teen’s account, parents can manage various aspects of their teen’s TikTok experience, including screen time, content exposure, and interactions with others.18 This helps to create a safer and more controlled environment for young users.

Social Media Platforms: Snapchat

Snapchat provides parental controls through its “Family Center.”22

Tools and Features:

• Friend List: See who your teen is friends with on Snapchat23
• Contact List: See who your teen has been in contact with in the past week23
• Content Controls: Set content controls to limit exposure to inappropriate content22
• Reporting: Report any concerns directly to Snapchat’s Trust and Safety team22

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. Download Snapchat and create an account
2. Add your child as a friend by searching for their username
3. Tap the gear icon in the top right corner to access settings
4. Under “Privacy Control,” tap “Family Center”
5. Select your child’s name and tap “Send invitation”23
6. To enable two-factor authentication, go to your profile and tap the gear icon in the top right corner to open “Settings.” Select “Two-Factor Authentication” and follow the on-screen instructions.23

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Access the “Family Center” in the Snapchat app24
2. View your teen’s friend list and contact list
3. Adjust content controls to limit exposure to inappropriate
4. Use the reporting tools to report any concerns23

How Snapchat’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

Snapchat’s Family Center provides parents with insights into their teen’s activity on the app while respecting their privacy.25 It allows parents to see who their teen interacts with and set content controls to limit exposure to inappropriate content.22 The reporting feature also provides a direct channel to Snapchat’s Trust and Safety team to address concerns.22

Educating Children about Online Safety on Snapchat:

It is important to have open conversations with children about online safety on Snapchat.26 Discuss responsible sharing, privacy settings, and reporting tools. Encourage them to connect only with people they know in real life and to consider the content they share carefully. Explain the importance of signing up with their real age to benefit from age-appropriate safety protections.25

Social Media Platforms: YouTube

YouTube offers several safety features to protect children, including YouTube Kids and supervised experiences.27

Tools and Features:

• YouTube Kids: A separate app with a curated selection of child-friendly content27
• Supervised Experiences: Allows parents to create supervised accounts for tweens and teens with access to a broader range of content but with parental controls28
• Restricted Mode: Filters out potentially mature content29
• Privacy Settings: Allows users under 18 to make their profiles and content private27
• Digital Wellbeing Tools: Includes features like turning off autoplay to limit excessive scrolling27

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. For YouTube Kids, download the app and follow the setup
2. For supervised experiences, create a Google account for your child using Family Link28
3. Link your child’s Google account to your own and choose content settings28

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. For YouTube Kids, use the app’s settings to manage content restrictions and parental controls.
2. For supervised experiences, use Family Link to manage your child’s account, set screen time limits, and approve app downloads.28
3. To enable Restricted Mode, go to “Settings” and turn on “Restricted “30

How YouTube’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

YouTube’s safety features aim to create a safer environment for children and teens.31 YouTube Kids provides a curated experience with age-appropriate content, while supervised experiences allow for more flexibility with parental controls.27 Restricted Mode helps to filter out potentially mature content, and privacy settings allow users to control their online presence.27

Using Third-Party Parental Control Apps for YouTube:

For more comprehensive control and protection on YouTube and other platforms, consider using third-party parental control apps like Bitdefender Parental Control.32 These apps offer a range of features, including content filtering, app usage monitoring, and screen time management, to help parents create a safer online environment for their children.

Social Media Platforms: WeChat

WeChat offers a “Guardian Mode” to help parents manage their children’s activity on the app.33

Tools and Features:

• Guardian Mode: Allows parents to limit access to certain app features, such as video accounts, public accounts, and mini-programs.33
• Content Monitoring: Monitor WeChat text and voice messages34
• Call Recording: Record WeChat calls34
• Screenshots: Capture screenshots of WeChat activity34

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

While WeChat does not have specific youth verification tools, you can use the built-in security verification process to ensure account security.35

1. When logging in to WeChat on a new device, follow the security verification 35
2. Choose a verification method, such as receiving a verification code via SMS or using a linked account.35

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Go to “Me” > “Settings” > “Guardian Mode”33
2. Set a password and remember it
3. Send a guardian request to your own account
4. Approve the request from your own account
5. Set restrictions on app features, such as video accounts, public accounts, and mini-programs33
6. Avoid sharing personal information, such as passwords, addresses, or bank details, through the application36

How WeChat’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

WeChat’s Guardian Mode provides parents with tools to manage their children’s interactions and content exposure on the app.33 By limiting access to certain features and monitoring their activity, parents can create a safer online environment for their children.

Social Media Platforms: Telegram

Telegram has limited built-in parental control features, but it offers some privacy and security settings that can be helpful.37

Tools and Features:

• Privacy and Security Settings: Control who can see your phone number, last seen status, profile photo, and forwarded messages.38
• Secret Chats: End-to-end encrypted chats with self-destructing 39
• Two-Step Verification: Adds an extra layer of security to your account39

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

Telegram doesn’t have specific youth verification tools.

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Go to “Settings” > “Privacy and Security”38
2. Adjust settings for “Phone Number,” “Last Seen & Online,” “Profile Photo,” and “Forwarded Messages”38
3. To enable two-step verification, go to “Settings” > “Privacy and Security” > “Two- Step Verification”39
4. Follow the instructions to set up a password
5. Regularly review and manage active sessions to ensure that only your devices are logged into your account. Go to “Settings” > “Devices” to review the list of devices and terminate any sessions that are not recognized.39

How Telegram’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

While Telegram’s built-in parental control features are limited, its privacy and security settings can help to protect young users.37 By controlling who can see their information and enabling two-step verification, parents can enhance their child’s account security.38

Using Third-Party Content Monitoring Tools for Telegram:

For more comprehensive protection on Telegram and other messaging apps, consider using third-party content monitoring tools like Bark.40 Bark can monitor conversations for concerning content, such as cyberbullying, sexting, and suicidal ideation, and provide alerts to parents.

Social Media Platforms: Pinterest

Pinterest offers some safety features to protect teens, including private profiles and parental passcodes.41

Tools and Features:

• Private Profiles: Teen accounts under 16 are private by default, limiting who can see their profiles and content.42
• Parental Passcode: Allows parents to lock certain settings related to account management, privacy, and social permissions.42
• Messaging and Group Boards: Teens under 16 can only message and collaborate with mutual followers.43

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. Ensure your teen enters their correct age when signing up for an account44
2. Follow your child on Pinterest to monitor their activity41

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Set up a parental passcode to lock certain settings41
2. Help your child set their account to private and adjust their privacy settings41
3. To enable two-factor authentication, go to “Settings” > “Security and log-ins” and turn on “Two-factor authentication.”44

How Pinterest’s Parental Support Tools Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

Pinterest’s safety features aim to create a safer and more positive environment for teens.42 Private profiles protect teens’ personal space by limiting who can see their content, while parental passcodes give parents more control over their teen’s account settings.42The restrictions on messaging and group boards for teens under 16 help to prevent unwanted contact and interactions with strangers.43

Social Media Platforms: Google Family Link

Google Family Link is a parental control app that works across different Google platforms, including Android and ChromeOS.45 It allows parents to manage their child’s Google account, app usage, and device settings.

Tools and Features:

• App Restrictions: Block or restrict access to certain apps and
• Screen Time Limits: Set daily or weekly screen time
• Web Filtering: Filter websites and content in the Chrome
• Location Tracking: Track your child’s

How to Enable Family Link:

1. Download the Family Link app on your device and your child’s
2. Create a Google account for your child if they do not already have
3. Follow the instructions in the app to link your account to your child’s

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools with Family Link:

1. Open the Family Link
2. Select your child’s
3. Adjust the settings as needed, such as app restrictions, screen time limits, and web filtering.

Operating Systems: Windows

Windows offers built-in parental controls and family safety features47

Tools and Features:

• Family Options: Provides access to tools to manage children’s digital lives48
• Activity Reporting: Monitor your child’s online activity, including websites visited, apps used, and search terms.47
• Web Filtering: Block inappropriate websites and content47
• Screen Time Limits: Set limits on how long children can use their devices48
• App and Game Restrictions: Block or restrict access to certain apps and 48

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. Go to “Start” > “Settings” > “Update & Security” > “Windows Security” > “Family “48
2. Select “View family settings” to go to the Family website or download the Microsoft Family Safety app.48
3. Create a family or add members to an existing one48
4. When parental controls are enabled, two features are turned on by default:
   • Strict Internet Browsing: Internet browsing on Microsoft Edge becomes strict, ensuring that no adult content will be displayed in any of the search results.
   • Activity Reporting: This feature allows parents to review their child’s online activity or choose to receive weekly emails that let them know which websites they visit, what terms they are searching for, and what apps and games they use47

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. On the Family website or in the Microsoft Family Safety app, you can:

• • Get activity reports of your child’s online activity
  • Block inappropriate websites, apps, or games
  • Set screen time limits
  • Give your kids money to shop in the Microsoft Store48

How Windows Parental Controls Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

Windows parental controls provide a comprehensive set of tools to manage children’s online activity and protect them from inappropriate content.47 By enabling these controls, parents can create a safer online environment for their children and promote healthy digital habits.

Operating Systems: macOS

macOS offers parental controls through its “Screen Time” feature.49

Tools and Features:

• Screen Time: Monitor and control how much time your child spends on their 49
• Content Restrictions: Restrict access to websites, content, and apps49
• Communication Limits: Control who your child can communicate with online49
• App Usage Limits: Set time limits for specific apps49
• Downtime: Schedule downtime to block access to the device during certain 49

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. Open “System Preferences” > “Parental Controls”49
2. Click the plus sign to create a new user account with parental controls49
3. Choose an age range for your
4. macOS includes a security technology called Gatekeeper, which is designed to ensure that only trusted software runs on your Mac.50 Gatekeeper performs online checks to verify if an app contains known malware and whether the developer’s signing certificate is revoked.50

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Open “System Preferences” > “Parental Controls”49
2. Click on your child’s
3. Use the tabs to set up different controls:
   • Screen Time: Set daily limits and downtime
   • Content: Restrict websites and
   • Stores: Restrict content from the iTunes Store, App Store, and Apple
   • Apps: Limit app
   • Privacy: Control access to location services and other privacy
   • Other: Manage other settings, such as printing and changing the system clock49

How macOS Parental Controls Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

macOS parental controls provide a comprehensive set of tools to manage children’s activity on their Macs and protect them from inappropriate content and online risks.49 By enabling these controls, parents can create a safer online environment for their children and promote healthy digital habits.

Operating Systems: Android

Android offers parental controls through the “Family Link” app, as discussed earlier.

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

1. Download the Family Link app on your device and your child’s device
2. Create a Google account for your child if they don’t already have one
3. Follow the instructions in the app to link your account to your child’s
4. Enable biometric authentication and “Find My Device” on your child’s Android device.51 This adds an extra layer of security and allows you to locate the device if it’s lost or stolen.

How Android Parental Controls Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

Android parental controls, primarily through Family Link, offer a robust set of tools to manage children’s online activity and protect them from inappropriate content and online risks. By enabling these controls, parents can create a safer online environment for their children and promote healthy digital habits.

Operating Systems: ChromeOS

ChromeOS offers parental controls through “Family Link,” as discussed earlier.

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Use the Family Link app on your smartphone or tablet to manage your child’s Chromebook settings.
2. You can:
   • Choose which websites your child can access
   • Supervise app usage
   • Set screen time limits
   • Manage other device settings
3. Use CleanBrowsing DNS to filter content on ChromeOS.52 CleanBrowsing is a service that provides a clean DNS address to prevent access to inappropriate

How ChromeOS Parental Controls Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

ChromeOS parental controls, primarily through Family Link, offer a comprehensive set of tools to manage children’s online activity and protect them from inappropriate content and online risks. By enabling these controls, parents can create a safer online environment for their children and promote healthy digital habits.

Operating Systems: Linux

Linux offers various parental control tools and methods, although they may require some technical knowledge to set up.53

Tools and Features:

• Timekpr: Limit the amount of time a user can use the 54
• DansGuardian or E2guardian: Filter internet 55
• Malcontent-Control: Block adult sites and manage internet access 56
• Firefox Parental Controls: Control web browsing within the Firefox 54

How to Enable Youth Verification and Safety Tools:

Linux distributions typically do not have specific youth verification tools.

How to Set Up and Manage Safety Tools:

1. Timekpr: Install Timekpr using the following command: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mjasnik/ppa && sudo apt update && sudo apt install timekpr-next.54
2. DansGuardian or E2guardian: Install and configure DansGuardian or E2guardian to filter internet This may involve setting up a proxy server55
3. Malcontent-Control: Install Malcontent-Control to block adult sites and manage internet access schedules.56
4. Firefox Parental Controls: Use the built-in parental controls in the Firefox browser to manage web browsing.54

How Linux Parental Controls Help with Youth Verification and Safety:

Linux offers a variety of tools and methods for implementing parental controls, allowing parents to manage their children’s computer usage and protect them from online risks. While these tools may require some technical knowledge to set up, they provide a high degree of flexibility and control.

Parental Controls on Apple iOS Devices

Apple has included a robust set of parental control tools in its iOS operating system to help parents and guardians ensure their children have a safe and age-appropriate experience when using their mobile devices. These tools can be accessed through the device’s settings and offer a variety of options for managing content, apps, and features. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use each service to enable youth verification and safety tools on Apple iOS for mobile devices:

Content & Privacy Restrictions

Content & Privacy Restrictions are a key feature of Apple’s parental controls. They allow you to manage the content, apps, and settings your child can access on their device.

This feature helps you prevent your child from accessing inappropriate content, making unauthorized purchases, and changing important settings55. Here is how to turn them on:

1. Open the Settings app on your child’s
2. Tap Screen Time.
3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
4. If asked, enter your Screen Time
5. Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Once you have turned on Content & Privacy Restrictions, you can set up specific parental controls for the following:

Setting	Description
Prevent App Store Purchases	Prevent your child from installing or deleting apps, making in- app purchases, and more.

Allow Built-in Apps and Features	Allow or restrict the use of built-in apps and features like the camera, FaceTime, and Siri.
Prevent Explicit Content and Content Ratings	You can prevent your child from accessing explicit content by setting content ratings for apps, movies, TV shows, and more.
Prevent Web Content	Restrict access to websites or allow access to only specific websites.
Restrict Siri	Prevent your child from using Siri or restrict Siri from accessing explicit content.
Restrict Game Center	Prevent your child from playing multiplayer games or adding friends in the Game Center.
Allow Changes to Privacy Settings	Prevent your child from making changes to location services, contacts, calendars, and other privacy settings.
Allow Changes to Other Settings and Features	Prevent your child from making changes to accounts, cellular data, and other settings and features.

Prevent App Store Purchases

You can prevent your child from being able to install or delete apps, make in-app purchases, and more.

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases.
3. Choose the settings that you want for each feature or

Allow Built-in Apps and Features

You can allow or restrict the use of built-in apps and features like the camera, FaceTime, and Siri.

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap Allowed Apps.
3. Choose the apps that you want to allow or

Prevent Explicit Content and Content Ratings

You can prevent your child from accessing explicit content and set content ratings for apps, movies, TV shows, and more.55

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap Content Restrictions.
3. Choose the settings that you want for each feature or

Prevent Web Content

You can restrict access to websites or allow access to only specific websites.

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap Web Content.
3. Choose the settings that you want to allow or restrict access to

Restrict Siri

You can prevent your child from using Siri or restrict Siri from accessing explicit content.

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap Siri.
3. Choose the settings that you want for

Restrict Game Center

You can prevent your child from playing multiplayer games or adding friends in the Game Center.

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap Game Center.
3. Choose the settings that you want for the Game

Allow Changes to Privacy Settings

You can prevent your child from changing location services, contacts, calendars, and other privacy settings. You can also turn off location sharing for specific apps or change the location accuracy to “While Using” instead of “Always.” 56 Additionally, you can disable the “Significant Locations” feature, which tracks frequently visited places.2

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap Privacy.
3. Choose the settings that you want for
4. To manage location sharing for specific apps, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
5. To disable “Significant Locations,” go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations.

Allow Changes to Other Settings and Features

You can prevent your child from making changes to accounts, cellular data, and other settings and features.

1. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Tap Allow Changes.
3. Choose the settings that you want for other settings and

Communication Safety

Communication Safety in Messages helps protect your child from viewing or sharing photos that contain nudity.57 If Communication Safety detects that a child receives or is attempting to send this type of photo, it blurs the photo before your child can view it on their device. Communication Safety also provides guidance and age-appropriate resources to help them make a safe choice, including the option to contact someone they trust4. In iOS 17 and later, Communication Safety expands to other apps besides Messages, such as AirDrop and FaceTime.57 Here is how to turn it on:

1. Open the Settings app on your child’s
2. Tap Screen Time.
3. Tap your child’s name.
4. Tap Communication Safety.
5. Turn on Communication Safety in Messages.

Family Sharing

Family Sharing allows you to share App Store purchases, an Apple Music family plan, an iCloud+ storage plan, and more with up to five family members. You can also use Family Sharing to set up Screen Time for your child. Additionally, you can set up an account recovery contact, which is an important security feature that allows you to regain access to your account if you forget your password.58 Here is how to set it up:

1. Open the Settings
2. Tap your name.
3. Tap Family Sharing.
4. Tap Add Member.
5. Follow the onscreen instructions to add a family

Screen Time

Screen Time allows you to see how much time your child spends on their device and set limits for app use. This feature helps parents manage their child’s device usage and prevent addiction. 57 You can also use Screen Time to schedule downtime, during which your child can only use certain apps you approve. Here is how to set it up:

1. Open the Settings app on your child’s
2. Tap Screen Time.
3. Tap Turn On Screen Time.
4. Tap Continue.
5. Select This is My Child’s.

Once you have set up Screen Time, you can:

• Set Downtime: Schedule a time when your child cannot use their device, except for apps that you allow.
• Set App Limits: Set daily limits for how long your child can use certain
• Choose Always Allowed Apps: Allow your child to use certain apps at any time, even during downtime.
• Set Content & Privacy Restrictions: Prevent your child from accessing explicit content, making in-app purchases, and more.

Key Benefits of Apple’s Parental Controls

Apple’s parental controls offer several key benefits that make them a valuable tool for parents and guardians:

• Comprehensiveness: They provide a wide range of options for managing content, apps, and features, giving you granular control over your child’s device usage.
• Ease of Use: The controls are built-in and easy to access through the device’s settings, making them simple to set up and use.
• Integration with iOS: They are seamlessly integrated with other iOS features, such as Family Sharing and Screen Time, providing a unified and consistent experience.
• Privacy: Apple prioritizes privacy and does not have access to the child’s photos or messages. 56 The analysis of photos and videos is done on the device itself, ensuring that sensitive information remains private.

Conclusion

Apple’s parental controls offer comprehensive tools to help parents and guardians ensure their children have a safe and age-appropriate experience when using their mobile devices. By using these tools, you can manage the content, apps, and features your child can access, monitor their device use, and set limits for app use.54 While these tools are valuable for protecting children, it is important to remember that they are not a substitute for open communication and education about online safety. Talk to your children about the potential risks they may encounter online and encourage them to come to you with any questions or concerns. By combining parental controls with ongoing dialogue and guidance, you can help your children navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.

Additional Resources and Guides

• UNICEF Parenting: https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-care/keep-your-child- safe-online63
• ConnectSafely: https://www.connectsafely.org/64
• ConnectSafely’s Guide to TikTok for Parents: https://connectsafely.org/parents-guide-to-tiktok/64

• Internet Matters: https://www.internetmatters.org/65
• NetSafe: https://netsafe.org.nz/ 39
• eSafety Commissioner: https://www.esafety.gov.au/ 2
• Pinterest’s Teen Safety Hub: https://business.pinterest.com/teen-safety-on- pinterest/61
• Surveillance Self-Defense (EFF): https://ssd.eff.org/67

Conclusion

Protecting children online requires a multi-faceted approach. By utilizing the parental control tools and safety features available on social media platforms and operating systems and staying informed about online safety best practices, you can create a safer and more positive digital environment for your children.

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