One of the most important thing that we need to do, as responsible adults, is to safeguard what our children access online. And to help with that Google is currently rolling out Google Family Link that gives parental controls on your Chromebook. This App has previously been available on the Beta and Developer channels, but now can be downloaded on the stable channel.
Android users have been using this App for some time now, so its good to see it expand its reach to the Chrome OS, which Google is actively pushing into the education market. The Chrome OS is fast, secure, and addresses most of the children’s needs in and possibly out of the classroom.
You can use this App to hopefully manage how your child uses their online time and technology. It’s all about setting “Digital ground rules”.
Google Family Link Parental Control for your Chromebook
With Google Family Link, you are able to create a Google account for your child, much like your account. Now, you are able to monitor their activity and see how long they spend on their favourite apps. You can approve or block app download request from the Play Store, including app purchases. Once an application has been installed you will not need to approve any app updates. If your not that “App savvy”, Family Link lets you see what apps are teacher-recommended (only available in the US).
You can set up parental controls on how long your child can use the Chromebook and even lock the device if its dinner time, outside time, bedtime, or any other time they need to shift OFF their tech. There are also several handy features for us parents; such as being able to whitelist or blacklist sites or see your child’s location.
You can see a list of compatible devices here and download it now from the Play Store.
