5 phone safety tips every parent should know

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Kids today are growing up in a world where screens, apps, and social platforms are part of everyday life. From homework to gaming to group chats, their digital lives can move faster than parents can keep up. But behind every app and device are settings and systems that can impact their privacy, safety, and focus.

Whether you’re trying to set healthy limits, track screen time, or just understand what your child’s phone can do, knowing a few key tech terms can make parenting in the digital age a lot less stressful. Here’s a quick guide to help you stay informed, confident, and in control.

 

 

 

 

1) Screen time limits

The boundary that helps restore balance

Screen time limits let you manage how long your child spends on apps, games, or devices each day. It’s not about punishment, it’s about setting healthy boundaries that help kids disconnect and recharge.

Why it matters: Too much screen time has been linked to reduced focus, sleep disruption, and overstimulation. Setting limits helps your child create a better balance between online fun and real-world rest.

How to set screen time limits

On iPhone:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Screen Time
• Click App Limits
• Select Add Limit, choose categories or specific apps, and set daily time limit

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Go to Settings
• Tap Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls. If you don’t see it right away, try searching “Digital Wellbeing” in the Settings search bar
• Open the Dashboard or App Timers section. On some phones (like Samsung), it may appear as “App Timers”. On others (like Google Pixel), tap Dashboard to view your app usage list
• Tap the hourglass icon next to the app you want to limit
• Set a daily time limit, then tap OK or Done
• The timer resets every night at midnight

Pro tip: Make it a family routine. Review screen time reports together so kids feel involved in the process rather than restricted.

 

2) Parental controls

Your built-in safety net

Parental controls are tools that let you manage what your child can see and do on their devices – from blocking explicit content to approving downloads and monitoring usage. Every major device, app, and streaming service has its own version.

Why it matters: Parental controls can help prevent exposure to inappropriate content, manage purchases, and set up age-appropriate experiences.

How to turn parental controls on

On iPhone:

• Go to Settings
• Click Screen Time
• Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
• Turn it on so the toggle turns green.
• Within Content & Privacy Restrictions you can go to sections like Allowed Apps, iTunes & App Store Purchases, etc, to set filters and restrict what apps the device can do.

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Go to Settings
• Tap Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls
• Select Parental Controls, then follow the steps to set up a supervised account through Google Family Link, which lets you manage screen time on a child’s device remotely

Pro tip: Most streaming apps, like YouTube, Netflix, and Disney+, also have parental settings, so make sure you adjust those separately.

 

3) Geolocation

The invisible map in your child’s pocket

Geolocation allows apps and devices to track physical location in real time. It powers navigation and “Find My” features but can also share more than you intend if left unchecked.

Why it matters: While location sharing helps families stay connected, it can pose privacy and safety concerns if apps broadcast your child’s whereabouts.

How to manage location access

On iPhone:

• Go to Settings
• Click Privacy & Security
• Then, click Location Services
• Tap each app and change “Always” to “While Using the App” or “Never”

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Go to Settings
• Tap Location (or “Location & security” or “Privacy → Location” depending on device)
• Tap App location permissions (or “Permission manager → Location”)
• Select an app from the list
• Change the app permission from, “Allow all the time” to “Allow only while using the app” or “Don’t Allow”

Pro tip: For younger kids, use “Share My Location” within Family Sharing (iPhone) or Google Family Link (Android) instead of third-party tracking apps to ensure safer monitoring.

 

4) Private browsing

The mode that hides – but doesn’t erase

Private browsing, also called Incognito Mode, lets users browse the internet without saving history, cookies, or logins. While it may sound harmless, it can make it harder for parents to see what kids are accessing online.

Why it matters: Private browsing prevents history tracking on the device, but your internet provider, school, or router may still record activity. It’s a reminder that no browsing mode is completely private.

How to disable private browsing

On iPhone (Safari):

• Open Settings
• Tap Screen Time
• Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions
• If prompted, enter or set a Screen Time passcode
• Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions (toggle to green)
• Tap App Store, Media & Purchases (or similarly named) and optionally set limits
• Click Web Content 
• Choose one of the options such as Limit Adult Websites (this will disable Private Browsing in Safari) or Only Approved Websites 

On Android (Chrome):

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Open the Family Link app on your Android phone (or download it if it isn’t installed)
• Select your child’s profile
• Tap Controls
• Click Google Chrome & Web
• Choose Try to block explicit sites (or select “Only allow approved sites” for stricter filtering)
• This setting automatically disables Incognito Mode in Chrome for your child’s supervised account
• (Optional) You can also review SafeSearch and YouTube restrictions under the same section for extra protection

Pro tip: Talk to your child about why transparency matters. Turning off private browsing is most effective when paired with open, ongoing conversations about online safety.

 

5) Digital footprint

The trail your child leaves behind

Every post, comment, or photo shared online becomes part of your child’s digital footprint, a permanent record of their online presence. Even deleted posts can live on through screenshots, data archives, or algorithms.

Why it matters: Colleges, employers, and even peers can access public digital traces. Teaching kids to think before posting helps them build a positive and professional online reputation.

How to check what’s out there

• Search your child’s name on Google and image results
• Review old accounts or unused apps that may still contain personal info
• Help them make their social media profiles private and share selectively

Pro tip:  You can also set up Google Alerts for your child’s name to get notified whenever new content appears online, a simple, free way to stay aware of their digital footprint as it evolves.

Also, you may want to consider using a data removal service to help clean up your child’s personal information that may appear on people-search sites or data-broker platforms. These tools scan the web for outdated profiles, cached pages, and databases containing sensitive details like addresses, phone numbers, and photos. They can automatically submit takedown requests and continue monitoring for new exposures over time.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice.  They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy.  These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.  It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet.  By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

 

Is your personal information exposed online?

Run a free scan to see if your personal info is compromised. Results arrive by email in about an hour.

 

 

Related Links: 

• ChatGPT adds parental controls for teens
• Teen sues AI tool maker over fake nude images
• Teens turning to AI for love and comfort

 

Kurt’s key takeaways

Parenting in the digital age doesn’t mean knowing every app or trend. It means understanding the fundamentals that shape your child’s online experience. From screen time limits to digital footprints, these five terms give you the language to set boundaries, foster trust, and keep your family safer online.

Want more help building healthy digital habits at home? Drop your questions in the comments below. 

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