You’ve finally given in, and bought your teen (or tween) their first cell phone. Of course you give them all the rules and expectations that go with it, but you still worry. Who are they talking to? What are they looking at? Are they using the phone when they should be studying?
Parents, you can rest a bit more easily. Several apps are available that you can put on your children’s phones that can alert you as to what they are doing. Here are some examples:
Phonesheriff.com: This app monitors text messages, tracks time spent on the phone, blocks numbers you don’t want your children communicating with, blocks websites you don’t want them to view, and locks the device at certain times of day. The app costs $49 for 6 months or $89 per year.
Teensafe: This app shows both current and deleted texts, incoming and outgoing calls, and shows pictures on Instagram. You can also check the location of the phone. The app is priced at $14.95 per month.
Mspy.com: This app tracks everything from text messages to phone calls to emails to all social networks. The price ranges between $100 and $229/month.
With these apps, parents can choose the level of protection they want for their children.
On the other side of the coin, kids have picked up on certain apps that will hide information from parents. The most popular of these is an app that looks just like a calculator app on the phone’s home screen. Look for names like Calculator+, Calculator% , or Ultimate Calculator. If you see these apps installed, it is important to communicate and determine what information is being held in those phantom apps.
Need to know more about how to keep your kids safe online? Contact FITECH today at (212) 223-TECH (8324), email info@fitechllc.com or visit www.fitechllc.com. You can also find us on these social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google+.
