Parental controls are important for a lot of families since they keep kids safe and give the parents peace of mind when they're children are using internet connected devices. Android has had a minor version of this ever since they introduced the profile system, since it allowed you to limit which applications your child's profile could have access to. This idea is being taken to the next level now with a new program that Google is calling Family Link.

Once you're able to download the Family Link application, you'll be asked to create an account for your child and you can then add it to their very own Android device. This secondary account will be connected to yours and it will give you direct control over the one you just created. Once everything is setup, you'll be notified of pending downloads for applications that were initiated on the child's device. You can choose to approve or deny these requests at will, so you'll know what applications are on the device.

The Family Link application will also let you keep an eye on how much your child is using their phone and all of the applications they have installed. So not only can you see overall screen on time, but you can see how long they've spent in particular applications. You're even able to set daily screen on time limits if you don't want your child to be using his or her device for more than a few hours each day. The parent also has the ability to remotely lock the device from their own so that they don't have to take it away when they want their children studying, reading or sleeping.

Google has announced the Family Link program is now available to parents in the United States, but you'll need to go here to request an invite into the program. You should also know that the device your child is using needs to have Android 7.0 Nougat or higher installed onto it.

Source: The Keyword