The news is rife with stories of how smartphones and social media can get teens into trouble, but on the flip side, smartphones themselves can be the greatest tool for parents who want to keep track of their teen's physical and online safety. If you're from the "Trust but verify" school of parenting, then there are tons of apps and services that can help keep track of your teen. From location sharing tools to Web content filters, app blockers, social media monitors and geofencing apps, here are eight great apps for tracking your teens.
1. Carrier Apps: AT&T FamilyMap, Sprint Family Connector, Verizon FamilyBase and T-Mobile FamilyWhere
Many wireless carriers have their own location tracking software intended to keep parents and children connected, such as AT&T's Family Map and Sprint's Family Connector. You might be surprised to find that your carrier may already have pre-installed options or existing offerings that have the family tracking and phone monitoring tools you need, either for free or for a nominal fee. CTIA - The Wireless Association maintains a comprehensive list of parental control apps [1] provided by its member companies that you might want to check out.
2. Life 360 (Android, iOS) (Free)
Life 360 (Android, iOS) is a great free tool for parents whose main concern is knowing their teen's location, rather than monitoring their messaging and social media activity. Life 360 allows users to create customizable circles made of family members, friends or colleagues, and then share their location to other circle members, viewable on a map. The app provides in-app messaging, a check-in notification system, and even a panic button that immediately sends a phone call, email and text message with your GPS location. A premium subscription provides additional features such as expanded location history, 24/7 Live Advisor support and even limited location tracking for dumbphones.
3. TimeAway (Android) (Free)
If you're looking for something more than just location tracking, check out the free app TimeAway [2] , an Android tool that allows parents to schedule usage time, app limits and blocking for a child's smartphone, as well as remotely track the child's location, all of which can be managed on a parent's phone. It won't provide you with the ability to read messages or social media communications, but for managing app usage and location tracking, TimeAway is a great option.
4. Mama Bear (Android, iOS) (Free)
For something more comprehensive, try out MamaBear ( Android , iOS ). This all-in-one mobile parental control app allows you to locate a child through a smartphone, keep tabs on social media activity, and find out when your kid has been driving over the speed limit. MamaBear's location tracking can tell you where your child is, as well as provide arrival and departure alerts from locations such as school or home. The social media monitor can be set to notify you when your child adds new contacts, uses restricted words or uploads photos or tags.
5. My Mobile Watchdog (Android, iOS) ($4.95 per month)
My Mobile Watchdog ( Android , iOS ) offers users with a series of powerful parental controls that allow mom and dad to see phone call logs, read text messages on their teen's phones, as well as find out where your child is through the device's GPS. Parents can also set Web and time use blocking, as well as remotely block and grant access to apps. My Mobile Watchdog takes pains to indicate that they aren't 'spyware', with the app having no stealth mode. That means your kid is aware of being watched. The suite of controls is pretty impressive, and comes with a $4.95 per month subscription fee.
6. MM Guardian (Android) (Free trial, $3.99 per month)
MMGuardian is a parental control app that can locate a kid's phone, monitor text activity and set various use restrictions. The free level allows parents to send an SMS to locate or lock their child's phone, or have it emit a siren alarm. Enhanced features for subscribers allow for time limits (such as locking during school time), call blocking, text monitoring, safe driving controls that prevent texting and calling when on the road, as well as app controls. Notably absent are any internet filters.
7. Mobiflock Mobile Guardian (Free Trial, $4 per month)
Mobiflock's Mobile Guardian [3] provides a powerful Web dashboard with a whole suite of parental monitoring tools for tracking your teen's smartphone activity. Mobile Guardian uses GPS, complete with a geofencing system. It also offers a Web content filtering system, application blocking, a schedule and timetable system, as well as contacts management and contacts blocking. The premium service starts at about $4 a month, and features a 7-day free trial for test runs.
8. Canary (Android, iOS) (Free Trial, $14.99)
Trusting your teen with a car is a bit of a rite of passage, but it can also be nerve-wracking moment for anxious parents. Canary ( Android , iOS ) will notify parents if their teen's iPhone or Android device is being used (such as for texting, calling or using social media) while the car is traveling at more than 12mph, as well as when the car is above speed limits. You can also create geo-fenced "safe areas", blacklist others as off-limits and define a curfew time. Parents receive reports through notifications and email. The app is free to try for 7 days, and then costs $14.99 for a lifetime subscription.
Links
- ^ comprehensive list of parental control apps (www.growingwireless.com)
- ^ TimeAway (play.google.com)
- ^ Mobiflock's Mobile Guardian (www.mobifloc k.com)
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