It shouldn't be a surprise that kids are spending more time playing on their phones during the COVID-19 epidemic. How do you know if they're balancing remote education with social media, gaming, and Fortnite? Microsoft's Family Safety app is the answer. The March announcement of the free program was made public and is now available to download for anyone who owns an iOS/Android device.
You can use the app to set time limits for specific Android, Windows and Xbox applications, including games that require video, such as Minecraft. You have the option to extend your child's allowance by either 15 or 30 minutes, or one, two, or three hours. The Family Safety app can also be configured to send an email each time they wish to purchase something from the Microsoft Store, and set up various web and search filters in the (now Chromium-based) Edge browser.
If you just want to keep an eye on your child The app can be configured to send a weekly "activity report' email that provides a breakdown of their screen time by device and application. The goal is to let you know when something is wrong and begin a conversation with your loved ones. MINECRAFTSERVERS.WEBSITE The app also has the ability to track your location that lets you track exactly the place your family members are located in real time. In the future, Microsoft 365 Family subscribers will also get alerts when a family member is in or leaves a specific area. The premium plan will offer an 'auto safety habit tracking, starting in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK.
These tools aren't particularly new and will be of little benefit to your family members when they spend the majority of their time with iPads, iPhones, and iPads. If every member is invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, though it could be a decent dashboard or first port of call at the very least, to ensure they're living a healthy lifestyle both on the internet and in the real world.
Microsoft's Family Safety App is now accessible to everyone
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