We have a secret to share. Parents just like you are using parental controls to monitor their kids. And some are doing so without notifying their kids. We know. It sounds controversial. But it’s actually a great way to keep your kids safe, know what’s going on in their world, and make sure they grow up to be happy, healthy adults.
New to monitoring apps and not sure of the parental control meaning? It’s simple. Parental controls let you do things like:
- Manage internet and app use
- Create filters to block content
- See their location in the neighborhood
Some even let you read their private conversations (more on that later). No matter which parental control app you choose, you’ll be armed with a little bit more knowledge about what’s going on in their online life.
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Why You Need a Parental Control App
There are many reasons why parents are choosing to monitor their kids — and it’s not just about what can parents see on parental controls. It’s also about keeping them safe in more ways than one. Here’s a look at what parents can do with parental controls today.
- Curb their social media addiction. Kids are glued to their phone — and that’s not healthy. Knowing how much time they spend on their phone is a great way to start a conversation about healthy online habits. And once you realize how easy it is to stop them from using their phone, you’ll stop wondering about the parental control meaning.
- Find out about cyberbullying. Kids are cruel. So, are parental controls effective at stopping them from being mean? In a way, yes. A great parental control app can cast a spotlight on cyberbullying and help you put a stop to it.
- Protect them from predators. Did you know over 500,000 predators are active online every day? They’re lurking on social media apps like TikTok and Instagram. They’re on online forums. They’re playing video games. They’re everywhere kids are because their goal is to befriend them. So how does parental control work to catch predators? That depends on the type of parental control app you decide to buy.
2 Types of Parental Control Apps
What can parents see on parental controls? Before we dive into that, it’s important to understand the different types of monitoring apps available to parents. They fall into two categories — Hidden Apps and Visible Apps.
Let’s start with Visible Apps. When you install one of these apps on your child’s phone, you’ll no longer wonder what does parental control do because everything is out in the open.
Your kids will know that you’re monitoring them. There’s a visible app on their home screen. And they might even receive alerts that you’re monitoring something specific on their phone.
While Visible Apps are good at letting you see certain things on their phone (like how much time they’ve spent on their phone…the apps they use most often…and even their location), you won’t be able to do things like monitor their private social media chats or see each keystroke typed.
Hidden Apps are different. They’re designed to let you see a lot more of their online activity. Things like their private texts, their super-private social media chats, their past locations, the photos and videos saved on their device, and so much more.
How Does a Parental Control App Work?
If you’re installing a Visible App, the directions are simple:
- Install the app on your child’s phone.
- Install the same app on your phone.
- On your phone, create a parental control account.
- Follow the instructions to set up an account.
- Set up your phone as the Parent phone.
- Log in on your child’s phone.
- Set their phone as the Child phone.
The instructions might vary based on which monitoring app you choose, but those are the basic steps.
If you’re installing a Hidden app, the directions are a bit different:
- Purchase a subscription.
- Check your email for install instructions.
- Follow the directions to install the monitoring app on their phone.
Now here’s the best part. With Hidden apps, you don’t even need to install anything on their phone. You can access your own account from any device, including phones, tablets, Macs, and PCs.
When you log in to your account, you’ll be able to see everything that’s on their phone from your Control Panel.
Simply click on whatever it is you want to see and you’ll wonder how does parental work so well, so fast?
What Can Parents See on Parental Controls?
Some parental control apps don’t let you see much beyond your kid’s browsing history and location. But when you choose an app like mSpy, you’ll have powerful parental controls at your fingertips.
With mSpy, you can see all this:
- Their private social media chats, texts, and emails
- Every keystroke typed on their phone in chat and search
- Screenshots of their phone as they use apps like Snapchat (hello disappearing messages)
- Their current location and where they’ve been
- The photos and videos saved on their phone (including inappropriate ones)
- Who they called and who called them
- The websites they’ve visited
What Type of Parental Control App Should You Choose?
mSpy is the perfect choice if you’re looking for hidden apps. That’s because you can monitor way more than you can with Visible apps. The truth is some Visible apps don’t offer much more than what’s already baked into Android and iOS. If you want serious monitoring power that’s designed to keep your kids safe, mSpy should be on your shortlist.
