Microsoft has started releasing Family Safety App in limited preview for iOS and Android devices. It helps parents to check their kid’s app usage and screen time, keeping them safe.
The app allows users to keep an eye on their family’s digital safety and also track screen time across Windows PCs, Android, and Xbox devices. The app also provides features such as notifications and location sharing that is useful in receiving alerts and tracking the location of our family members.
In a blog post, Microsoft wrote that the Family Safety app is useful when the people get back to their normal lifestyle from the current coronavirus situation. Presently all the people are spending more time on the internet due to the lockdown circumstances that were imposed in almost all the countries. Also, with the adults, children also are spending more time on the internet, which has to be checked up on for the kids’ safety.
Key Features of Microsoft’s Family Safety App
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Location sharing
Location sharing is one more key feature of the app in which the users can track the location of the family members. You can find the location information from the inbuilt map that was built in the app(from the photos published on the blog post).
The company said that this location sharing feature of the app is not much use as of now but will be more helpful once the quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic is lifted, which makes the people go on with their regular activities. Just like Google Maps, you can pin your important locations such as work, home, or school, which enables us to find the location of the children easily.
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Activity reporting
Activity Reporting is one of the main features of the Family Safety App, which helps the users(especially parents) to monitor the screen time spent on Xbox, Windows, and Android devices and apps by their children. The users receive notifications regarding the websites opened and used search terms by the children. Also, you get a weekly summary of the week’s search details via email. The weekly report could help you in facilitating a dialogue on good and bad digital choices.
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Content controls
With Microsoft Edge, the Family Safety App users can enable safe search while browsing the internet on Xbox and Windows 10 devices. That means you can filter the search results, making them kid-friendly and blocking the mature content on the websites.
The guardians also receive a notification when their children want to download a game or app which has age limits while downloading from Xbox and Microsoft stores.
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Screen time limits
Not just the reports, the users can set screentime for the devices linked through the app across Xbox and Android platforms. If your children are using the devices longer for things like certain games and online learning, you can set a time limit on these specific apps or games. You can set this time limit while using it on Android devices, Xbox, or Windows PC.
Microsoft’s Family Safety App is now available only in preview form and that too for a limited number of iOS and Android users those who have recorded their interest in the app during the campaign by the company. While filling the application, the users also signed up for testing the app.
Once the preview is complete, it is expected that Microsoft will make the Family Safety app available for the general public.
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