Parents’ Guide To Keeping Their Kids Safe On iOS

For Apple using parents who still do not have the faintest idea, there actually are parental controls built into the iOS mobile operating system. They are called Restrictions, and generally let moms and dads protect their kid’s privacy, limit access to inappropriate content, and protect their credit card from their child(ren). 

Activating Restrictions on iOS is pretty straightforward -- one simply has to launch the Settings app from the home screen, go to General, and then scroll down and choose Restrictions, then tap Enable Restrictions, and lastly, create a passcode. However, parents still have to set content ratings, privacy features, and permissions for in-app purchases. Also, there is an “allowed changes” section that lets parents decide which settings they can allow their kids to alter, so that they can rest assured that their kid is not changing any access settings while they are not looking.

Setting up content ratings can be done through the “allowed content” section. Parents can make use of content ratings on various media that include films, TV shows, songs, books, and even websites. With regards to that last item, users can allow their kids to access all websites, websites with limited adult content, or specific websites. Parents can even completely block certain websites.

In the “game center” section, parents can limit the social access of their kids while they are playing mobile games. Moreover, they can control their kid’s access when it comes to multiplayer titles, adding people as friends or contacts, and screen recording.

As for digital privacy, parents can refer to the “privacy” section, where they can essentially allow or disallow mobile apps from accessing their kid’s location, the microphone, or even whether their child will be able to share those types of information on social media platforms. 

Mobile devices are incredibly useful tools in the digital age, but they can also unwittingly expose children to content they should not be viewing. This holiday season, some kids will likely receive Apple devices for the first time, and there is no telling how they will be using those smartphones or tablets. For parents, it is imperative that they get some semblance of control in not only protecting their kids from inappropriate content, but also in protecting themselves (and their credit cards) from the sometimes too curious minds of their children.

As for getting one’s kids to go to bed on time -- well that is another different story entirely.