Google released an updated version of its Family Link app on Tuesday, Oct. 18, which has a centralized dashboard for alerts and separate tabs for highlights, controls, and location. The firm has also unveiled a Family Link web version for parents and children.
Google Revamped the App with a New Centralized Hub
The three-tab layout of the new design makes it simple to examine all of the children's restrictions at a glance and make any necessary adjustments.
A child's device usage can be summarized in the highlights tab, which displays information like today's usage time, recently installed app, and the most frequently used app; controls can be used to impose restrictions on a child's screentime and app usage; and the location tab can be used to track a child's whereabouts.
In addition, parents have one convenient location to review their children's alerts and requests to use the app or website.
In Google's recent blog post, the firm's Product Manager Wendi Rieb said they often made it easier for parents to access the features they use by reorganizing the app. Therefore, these go-to functions are now available in a brand-new experience.
Google Introduced New Functions on Each Tab
By posing questions like "What makes certain internet material 'unhealthy,'?" the highlights page presents resources from groups like Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, and the Family Online Safety Institute to start discussions about online safety with kids.
On the other hand, a new option called "Today's limit" can be found under the controls page, allowing parents to establish a varied screen time limit without disrupting the usual routine. This may be helpful while on a trip with the family or when parents want to give their children a special treat, such as more time on their favorite apps.
On the location tab, all of the children's whereabouts are mapped out on this one convenient page. There is also an option to contact their phones and see how much battery level their devices have left.
A new function introduced by Google will alert parents when their children arrive at a predetermined place, such as school. This is integrated with the Maps' location-sharing function launched in July, which, when activated, began offering arrival and departure alerts for specified places.
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Google Finally Released Family Link's Web Version
The tech giant developed an online version of Family Link, and it is very much the same as the app that was previously available only through iOS and Android devices.
According to TechCrunch, Apple's iOS 16 parental controls inspired Google to revamp Family Link. The iPhone manufacturer included a "Quick Start" function to create screentime limitations for youngsters in a few steps and simplified the user interface to handle kids' screentime requests.
The Introduction of the Family Link App
Family Link was launched in 2017 to help parents keep track of their kids' digital activities and impose appropriate limitations on things like screen time and app use.
Google upgraded its parental control platform last year with features connected to pandemics, including the "always allowed" app for learning and the ability to lock children's Android and Chromebook devices at a defined "bedtime."
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Written by Trisha Kae Andrada
