It must be a challenging time for parents these days to stay in control of what their kids are doing on the various forms of technology we have. Between all the horrible content and potential online abuse out there, there are also concerns over needing to managing the amount of screen time the little ones are devoting to their phones or gaming consoles and whether they are actually using that time constructively.
And while many of us would not look back too fondly at our parents having access to everything we did growing up, it is nonetheless a valid concern and the reason why Microsoft has bene developing its new Family Safety app designed for managing kids’ screen time and app usage. The company announced the development of the app a while ago, but announced in a blog post on Monday that it is now available in preview form on both Android and iOS.
Essentially what the app does once it has bene installed on the different platforms, is provide parents with a report on screen time and app usage allowing them to also set certain time limits and content control to further ensure that their kids do not have access to anything you wouldn’t want them to.
The Family Safety feature will also automatically sync with Windows and Xbox devices, giving an insight on what games the kids are playing or what they are doing on the PC when they were supposed to be doing their homework instead. It is a useful app that is no doubt going to be popular with parents and frustration for their kids.
Currently, the app is not available on the different app stores, though if people do want to gain early access to the app, they can simply fill in this form to possibly join its preview program and test it out on your family members. Though, remember, it will also allow your partner to see how much time you’re spending playing games too.
Last Updated: May 17, 2020
