Controls and filters: A how-to guide for parents

In an ideal world, our kids would use their own knowledge, self-control and digital skills to stay safe online. Actually, in an ideal world there wouldn't be so much dodgy content to avoid in the first place! However, kids often take risks, especially during their teen years. And with little regulation of content platforms in New Zealand, there’s a very high chance our children will be exposed to distressing and unhealthy content. As parents and caregivers, it’s our responsibility to ensure their online safety through robust conversations and practical measures. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate this process.

First up, have a good think about exactly what devices and platforms are being used in your home, and write a list to work through.

Next, here are three main action points to consider:

1. Network controls – your first line of protection
2. Parental controls – your time to shine
3. Apps and platforms – your ongoing mission

Let’s take a closer look...

These are set up on the router or modem provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and apply to all devices connected to the home network. ISPs (like Spark, One NZ, 2 Degrees etc) often offer basic filtering options, but we recommend families use additional filtering software for better protection.

Filtering helps to block out the worst of the worst content, and it can prevent certain genres (eg porn or gambling) from being accessed in your home. ISP filters only work when you’re using the home WiFi. For a more premium and user-friendly version of filtering, you will need to pay. Parenting Place highly recommends Safe Surfer for their exceptional filtering and reporting. It works on every device, on any WIFI - so when your child leaves the house, their device continues to be protected. It offers timetables for apps, monitors for dodgy content and behaviour, filters for explicit content and will alert you about certain online behaviours, for example if nudes are sent or received. You can also tailor who in the household has access to what.

Each and every device (phones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles etc) your child uses can have parental controls and safety/privacy settings enabled on it. And when I say can, I really mean should. Safety and privacy settings are also applied within specific applications or platforms, such as enabling restricted mode on YouTube or Safe Search on Google.

Parents can also use time limits on apps and devices to help manage healthy screen time. For example, you could set a pin code for access to all devices, so the adult is in control of usage; or set time usage restrictions, like a one-hour access per day limit on Nintendo and have phones set to turn off at 8pm.

And we need to check our kids’ devices regularly for updates. I know, it can feel like you’re on constant tech-management duty as a parent. Yep, we kind of are! Our kids see this and learn from it – we’re teaching them that their safety is a priority.

Familiarise yourself with the apps and platforms your child uses, including TV apps, YouTube, Xbox, Nintendo, social media, internet browsers, Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, gaming sites and apps, Spotify… (yes, it could be a long list - we hope you have a cuppa and somewhere comfy to sit.)

Learn what parental controls and age restrictions are available for each app/platform and turn on any safe settings. Beware of any app with anonymous chat functionality, and always turn it off if it’s lurking somewhere.

Before you approve the download of any apps or the use of any platforms, check the recommended ages and reviews on Commonsense Media so you better understand the functionality and the risks. We also have a bunch of articles that dig deeper into various technologies (select 'Digital' in the filter).

While parental controls are essential, they won’t protect our young people all the time. As kids get older, some figure out ways to get around filters and plenty see dodgy content on their friends’ phones. Keeping the conversation going and talking with our kids about online safety is essential, as is teaching them how to manage their online activity, because ultimately - their own brain will be their best filter. So have regular check-ins with your kids so you know what they’re engaging with online. And keep encouraging them to think critically about what they’re seeing, encouraging them to be reflective digital citizens.

From here, this article offers guides to setting up various safety and parental control features on your home’s devices.

GOOGLE SAFESEARCH

1. Sign in to Google: Make sure you’re signed in to your child’s account.
2. Go to Search Settings: Click on ‘Settings’ at the bottom of the Google homepage, then select ‘Search Settings’.
3. Turn on SafeSearch: Check the box next to ‘Turn on SafeSearch.’ This will filter out explicit content from Google search results.
4. Lock SafeSearch: To prevent your child from changing this setting, click ‘Lock SafeSearch.’ You’ll need to sign in again to confirm.

YOUTUBE RESTRICTED MODE

YouTube is a favourite among kids, but many parents aren’t aware that filtering services cannot filter YouTube content. Enabling Restricted Mode is a must - but please note, while this will help filter out mature content, it isn’t foolproof and kids can still get access to inappropriate videos and comments.

1. Sign in to YouTube: Use your child’s account.
2. Go to Settings: Click on your profile picture in the top right corner, then select ‘Settings.’
3. Activate Restricted Mode: Scroll down to the bottom and toggle on ‘Restricted Mode'.
4. Lock Restricted Mode: To keep it on, click on ‘Lock Restricted Mode on this browser'. This will require your password to change.

NETFLIX PARENTAL CONTROLS

1. Go to Netflix.com: Log in to your account.
2. Manage Profiles: Hover over your profile icon in the top right, then click ‘Manage Profiles’.
3. Edit Kid’s Profile: Click on the profile you want to manage, and check the box that says ‘Kid?’ to set the maturity level appropriate for children.
4. Set Maturity Level: You can also go to ‘Account’ > ‘Parental Controls’ to set a specific maturity level or create a PIN to restrict certain content.

APPLE DEVICES (iPhone/iPad)

If your kids use Apple products, you can set up restrictions directly on their devices.

1. Open Settings: Go to ‘Settings’ on your child’s device.
2. Screen Time: Tap on ‘Screen Time,’ then select ‘Turn On Screen Time’. Recently there has been a lot of media around Apple’s gaps in parental safety measures, and ‘glitches’ with Apple’s screen time limits turning off without parents knowing. Keeping up with software updates is important as Apple continues to address bugs.
3. Content & Privacy Restrictions: Tap on ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’, then toggle it on.
4. Content Restrictions: Here you can filter explicit content in Music, Podcasts and News and restrict web content. You can also block individual websites if required.
5. In addition, software updates can impact on restrictions so keep checking in on any changes being made in software.

ANDROID DEVICES

For Android users, Google Family Link can be used.

1. Download Google Family Link: Install the app on both your device and your child’s.
2. Set Up Account: Follow the instructions to link your child’s account to yours.
3. Manage Filters: In the app, go to ‘Manage Settings’ > ‘Filters on Google Chrome’ and ‘Filters on Google Search’ to block inappropriate content.
4. Clever kids can get around these filters, hence we recommend Safe Surfer in addition which offers un-hackable filtering.

PLAYSTATION

1. Go to Settings: Navigate to ‘Settings’ > ‘Parental Controls/Family Management’.
2. Set Restrictions: You can create sub-accounts for your kids and set restrictions on games, Blu-ray discs, DVDs and web browsing.

XBOX

1. Open Settings: Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Account’ > ‘Family Settings.’
2. Manage Child’s Account: Here you can set age restrictions, control web access and limit communication with other players.

BING SAFESEARCH

Bing is another popular search engine that your kids might use.

1. Go to Bing.com: Click on the menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner and select ‘SafeSearch.’
2. Set SafeSearch: Choose ‘Strict’ to filter out adult content from search results.
3. Save Settings: Make sure to save your settings to ensure they take effect.

DUCKDUCKGO

Another popular search engine with kids, super important that Safe Search is activated to remove adult content from search results. You can easily control it in the following ways:

1. With the dropdown box under the search box in our results pages.
2. With the "Safe Search" option in the DuckDuckGo settings page.

SNAPCHAT

Snapchat can be tricky (read our full review here), but there are steps you can take to make it safer. Note: even with safety tools in use, we recommend regular check-ins with this app if your child has access to it.

1. Open Snapchat: Go to your child’s profile.
2. Settings: Tap on the gear icon to open Settings.
3. Under ‘Who Can…’ you can set who can contact your child, view their story and see their location.
4. Report and Block: Teach your kids how to report and block users if they encounter inappropriate content.
5. Make sure SnapMap is turned Off. This prevents users seeing your child’s exact location.
6. In addition, set up your own account and add your child as a friend. When they accept your friend request you can search for safety or family in the search bar. Choose Family Centre. Or go to the Settings (top right hand corner of the app). Invite your teen to Family Centre. They accept and this allows you to see who your child is talking to (you can’t read their messages or see their snaps), and it will limit (not restrict) their ability to view sensitive content in Stories and Spotlight. They can still see sensitive content in direct Snaps.

INSTAGRAM

Instagram requires parental oversight due to the risks of exposure to inappropriate content, friend requests with links to porn sites, grooming and cyber bullying.

1. Private Account: Make sure your child’s account is set to private. Go to their profile, tap the three lines in the top right, select ‘Settings,’ then ‘Privacy,’ and toggle on ‘Private Account.’
2. Comment Controls: Under ‘Privacy’ you can also manage who can comment on your child’s posts.
3. Sensitive Content Control: In the ‘Settings’, go to ‘Account’, then ‘Sensitive Content Control’ and set it to ‘Limit Even More’ to reduce exposure to sensitive content. Remember, this isn’t foolproof.

TIKTOK FAMILY PAIRING

TikTok is hugely popular, especially with younger audiences. (Click here for our 101 on TikTok.) It can be a crazy place for all the wrong reasons, so set up Family Pairing to help manage your child’s TikTok experience.

1. Open TikTok: Make sure both you and your child have TikTok installed and set up.
2. Go to Profile: Tap on the profile icon in the bottom right, then tap the three dots in the top right corner to open Settings and Privacy.
3. Family Pairing: Scroll down to ‘Family Pairing’, then follow the instructions to link your account to your child’s.
4. Manage Settings: Once linked, you can control screen time, restrict content and limit who can send messages to your child’s account.

SPOTIFY

A music sharing platform is a safe and happy place, surely!? Not necessarily – Spotify has recently been under fire when it was found to host pornography, as it does not explicitly prohibit adult content. This can be addressed, but please note that Spotify itself states it can’t guarantee that it will filter all sexual content - only content that is flagged. It is also harder to monitor if a child has their own account, not a family account. A Spotify Premium Family Plan is required to block porn content on Spotify.

1. Open the Spotify app and tap the Settings option.
2. Navigate and select the Explicit Content option.
3. Toggle the Allow explicit content switch to Off to block porn on Spotify.
4. Turn off Canvas, the short looping visuals that play along with music tracks (videos can be explicit and sexual). In Android, tap the Settings option. Toggle off the Canvas Option. In iOS, go to Settings. Select Playback. Go to Canvas and toggle off.

For more guidance on what controls and safety features are available and how to set them up, check out keepitrealonline.govt.nz

Here are a bunch of other helpful links with further advice for setting up parental controls on different apps and platforms…

• Google Online Safety

• Google SafeSearch

• Android Family Link

• Windows Family Safety Centre

• Apple Family Safety Centre

Some handy videos...

• A Common Sense Approach to Internet Safety

• Chromebook Parental Controls – Protect Young Eyes

• How to turn Restricted Mode on YouTube

• Parental controls on an iOS 12

• How to set up parental controls on an Apple Mac

And some safety guides from social media platforms themselves…

• Discord

• Facebook

• Instagram

• Snapchat

• Telegram

• TikTok

• Twitch