Android Tablet & Internet for kids....

[Showbags]

What do you do to safeguard these tablets from all the bad stuff on the internet.....parental control and all that stuff.

Any recommendations ?

First time I have had to do this now, so need some advice and guidance.

[evadgib]

- Set the default language to English.

- Periodically check the tablets and if necessary restore to factory settings & start again.

- Children will very quickly master the device in both languages. Mine went from 7" to 10" androids in a few months & can now use a PC quite easily.

- I have yet to master the "Parential control" thing as you'll see from a thread posted earlier but I check their footprint every day & self/wife are usually within earshot when they're online.

HTH

[Showbags]

Need the control/lock system though as I will never be able to check every day, nor want to....and doubt I would know where and what to check anyway with great detail.

Anyway, its more about keeping the perverts out and not letting just anyone have access to them via forums, facebook and all that crap...not to mention the plethora of porn crap that pops up....just look at TV for example.

[dharmabm]

i use a nice app from zoodles called kidsmode - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zoodles.kidmode

it acts as an alternate launcher, so when you start it you can't access the rest of the tablet apps without entering a passcode or pattern, but you can enable other apps and games on the device to work inside of it in addition to the apps, games and videos that come with it. there is another app similar to it which i can't recall the name of right now, but this one was much better when i tested them.

also when not using that app, i make sure all internet access is disabled while he playing other games on the tab, but now my son is smart enough to turn wifi back on (my tab is wifi only)

word of warning, if you use a google account that has a saved credit card, be careful - a lot of the games you can 'accidentally' but credits and addons at the click of a single popup! i lost a few dollars before i discovered that, although now i think google has some safeguards to prevent that (like having to enter a password to automatically charge you card)

[Showbags]

Thanks for that.

Does it allow them to surf normal websites and just block any or all suspect looking stuff....or you have to actually physically block those sites yourself etc.

Still want them to be able search things of interest, just stop the rubbish.

[dharmabm]

Thanks for that.

Does it allow them to surf normal websites and just block any or all suspect looking stuff....or you have to actually physically block those sites yourself etc.

Still want them to be able search things of interest, just stop the rubbish.

it doesn't allow web browsing at all unless you specifically allow a web browser in the 'enabled apps' settings, i don't do that and do not know of a way to restrict a browser on android.

he also has a computer that he plays web based games on, for that i use privoxy which blocks all the buxom anime adds and restricts him to a whitelist of available sites, but privoxy is not available for android and i don't know of another way to do that.

[Showbags]

Anybody else know of anything suitable for a 12 and 9yo ?

[kaveh]

believe me, this solution works so fine:

forget about all limitations! open up the doors to your kids! no filter, no parental control!

only use passive and hidden monitoring!

use a simple keylogger and/or activity (web/apps/screen shots, ...) logger

use the data and information you gather from your kids' activity (once a month/week) to analyze them, to know them better than before, and then try to teach them the right way

in my experience, anybody facing a narrow limited situation, sure they will try to escape

I know you may laugh to this idea, but I've found it more useful, more effective than any forced limitations

[Showbags]

^ how does it work and where to get it ?

I am very ignorant of this stuff.

[Thai at Heart]

What do you do to safeguard these tablets from all the bad stuff on the internet.....parental control and all that stuff.

Any recommendations ?

First time I have had to do this now, so need some advice and guidance.

I bought my 12 year old a tablet a year ago. Worst decision I ever made. Spent my entire life trying to get him off the thing to the point that it is basically banned. No bad games, just blinking Minecraft. Too addictive for a young mind to rationalise.

Made him introverted and anti social. Has rapidly returned to normal after banning it. In a way, I think laptops maybe socially better because they aren't so portable.

I wouldn't recommend getting a tablet for a very young child unless you are willing to sit with them on it all the time.

[Showbags]

Minbe are limited to it and its not allowed on all day long or anything near that.

Not used at dinner table etc, not when out unless an exception, not allowed to sit with friends and only do this stuff all the time etc.

As an example, a friend was over yesterday afternoon....it was wet outside so they sat and played quite a bit, more than normal and more than I usually allow...but then they all went outside without being told, played hide and seek inside, played with the dogs outside, went for a bike ride, played more hide n seek and so on.....so I am hoping the mixture is ok for the moment.