In 2017, Google launched Family Link to offer kids their own Google account and to offer an app via which parents can control screen time of their kids. The controls have since been extended to cover youths as well, and from this week there will be new functions accessible to assist parents manage more closely what content their children view.
The big new feature is time limits per app. Now parents can set time limits for different apps on their kid’s hardware, allowing them limit video apps or games while letting access to communication apps or educational resources, for instance.
One more feature that children will be grateful for is bonus time. Parents can employ the dashboard for Family Link to offer extra time for their kids to finish the level of a game or end what they are working on, which is a method to compromise with children who ask for the worldwide “only 5 more minutes”.
Lastly, Family Link is now accessible more easily. It can be seen in Android 10 in device settings, below “Digital wellbeing and parental controls” option.
On a related note, earlier the streaming video platform controlled by Walmart, Vudu, last week declared a new set of parental controls that will offer parents the capability of skipping or muting scenes automatically that has objectionable content. The new Family Play feature will let guardians to set up rules that avoid on-screen instances of language, substance abuse, sex, violence, and nudity. The function will be accessible on over 500 major studio shows to start with, and Vudu is aiming to extend the deal to more TV shows and movies every week. Apart from the Family Play tool, Vudu is also launching new reviews and ratings particularly keeping parents in mind.