Why trust Greenbotst week, it was discovered that the YouTube Kids app contained a hidden reference to a Family nk app, which was presumed to be a way for parents to remotely block monitor videos their children were watching. has now unveiled the new service it’s much more ambitious than we originally thought.
Family nk is a new app that connects not just your account but also your child’s. To set it up you’ll need three things: the app, an Android phone running Android KitKat 4.4 or higher (for you), a newer Android phone running Nougat (for the little one). Once that’s all set up, the two phones will be linked parents will be able to keep tabs on just about everything their kid is doing with their phone.
The missing nk: ed, older children might balk at their parents spying on the things they do on their phone, but for parents of younger kids who like to play games watch movies, Family nk is a godsend. ile it might seem crazy to open a account for your five-year-old, the tools here will help kids parents underst the inherent dangers of being so connected. th the rise of Chromebooks in schools smartphone h-me-downs, our kids are getting online at ever-earlier ages, so Family nk is a fantastic way to keep tabs on what they’re doing when we’re not watching, as well an opportunity to teach them how to be safe. wouldn’t be surprised if the service ends up being baked into a future version of Android.
l in the Family
th Family nk, parents of children 13 years under will be able to approve or block the apps they want to download from the ay store, monitor how much time they spend using apps with weekly or monthly activity reports, set daily screen time limits, remotely lock your kid’s device when it’s time for a break or past their bedtime.
Additionally, parents will be able to remotely manage settings content for SafeSearch the YouTube Kids app, see the location of their child’s device, allow a second family member to exercise the same controls you have over your child’s account. And according to a CNET hs-on with the app, you can also set a new unlock code when your child inevitable forgets theirs, ping a phone that has been misplaced, control which apps have access to the camera or microphone.
The Family nk app gives parents control over what their kids are doing on their phone.
Otherwise, your child’s account will be the same as yours, letting them access normal services like email photos, share information with their friends. However, says it will not deliver personalized ads to your child’s phone, so they won’t pester you to buy the latest Batman go after watching a YouTube video.
However, warns that the service isn’t foolproof. On the Family nk site it includes a page dedicated to ways you can stay smart online, including creating strong passwords, using content filters, keeping information private. As it explains, “These tools can help you set digital ground rules for your family, but keep in mind that they have limitations will not always work. For example, you won’t be able to see your child’s device location in Family nk, unless the device is on, connected to the internet, recently active. Additionally, filters like SafeSearch are not perfect, so explicit, graphic, or other content you may not want your child to see makes it through sometimes.”
The app is currently in a limited invitation-only preview, so parents who want to try it out need to sign up to receive an invitation code. The service is only available on Android devices, doesn’t say if it is planning to exp it to iOS.
