What is FamiSafe? What parents need to know

FamiSafe is a parental control application that allows parents to monitor how their children use their devices. They can also set controls on their devices to ensure they are using them safely. The app helps parents do this by providing many tools that are common on parental control apps. These include screen time limits and app blocking. However, it also includes some more unique features, like one-way audio.

FamiSafe is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and ChromeOS. This means it should cover most devices your child uses. The software uses a paid subscription model, priced at £8.99 per month or £51.99 per year. This subscription gives access to all features and allows parents to monitor an unlimited number of devices. A free 3-day trial is available, so you have the chance to try out the app before subscribing.

To start managing your child’s device with FamiSafe, you must download the app onto your phone. Then you must download it onto whichever of your child’s devices you want to monitor. This will allow you to set controls on your children’s devices from the parent’s dashboard on the FamiSafe app.

The parent’s dashboard shows all of your child’s online activity. There is a separate ‘Notice’ section which flags the most concerning activity, like if your child searches the keyword ‘drugs’. This makes it easier to stay aware of worrying searches, without having to look through every search they make.

FamiSafe lets parents set a range of controls on their children’s devices and monitor for concerning online behaviour. These features include:

• Screen time management: Parents can track how long their children spend on their devices and manage their screen time. Parents can set schedules to block children from using devices during times they shouldn’t, like when studying or should be sleeping. Kid’s have the ability to request more screen time.
• Screen viewer: The Screen Viewer takes automatic screenshots of your child’s screen at regular intervals and sends them to your device. The app sends an alert if any of these screenshots are flagged for containing inappropriate content.
• App blocker: FamiSafe gives parents the ability to block access to apps. You can base these restrictions on age ratings, preventing a child from downloading apps meant for older audiences, and parents can also block specific apps. Parents can set time limits on apps, and like screen time limits, they can schedule these to prevent children from accessing games or social media during study time. Whenever a child uses an app it will be recorded, so that parents can see how long they use the app each day.
• Text & call monitoring: Parents can see details of any phone calls their child has made or received, including the phone number, contact name and duration of call. FamiSafe monitors texts sent and received, sending an alert if they contain sensitive content or keywords.
• Content safety: FamiSafe will send an alert if a child accesses or views any inappropriate content. This includes any inappropriate pictures in their photo gallery, concerning language or terms used on social media or in their YouTube and browser search terms. It also blocks any websites that it deems as containing inappropriate content.
• Location tracking: Using the GPS in the child’s device, parents can view their child’s real-time location on a map in the FamiSafe app. Parents can set geofences, which will alert them if their child goes outside a boundary they’ve set on the map.
• SOS alert: Children can send an SOS alert from the FamiSafe app on their device. This will send an alert to the parent’s phone to let them know their child is in danger and will also show them where their child is using FamiSafe’s location tracking.
• One-way audio: One of the more unique features offered by FamiSafe is the ability to trigger real-time recordings on your child’s device, so that you can listen to what is going on around them. This aims to prevent the risk of bullying and negative influences.

• Effective screen time and app management
• In-depth content monitoring
• Location tracking and geofencing capabilities
• SOS alert button
• Some unique features, such as screenshots and one-way audio

While FamiSafe does offer social media monitoring, this is only available on Android devices. If your child has an iPhone, you should consider looking at other monitoring apps instead. Alternatively, you could set controls on your child’s social media directly.

FamiSafe offers features that some may find more intrusive than those of most parental apps. Your child might view taking screenshots of their screen and listening to what’s going on around them using one-way audio as spying. Talking with your child about why you would like to put a monitoring app on their phone will help them understand why they are being monitored. This will make them less likely to try and circumvent the controls. However, part of building this trust may involve agreeing to not use some features that are seen as infringing on the child’s privacy.