Kaspersky Safe Kids Versus Circle with Disney
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- The Good
- Location help to track your kids
- Expert psychological help
- Monitors communications and online activity
- The Bad
- Limited browser support
- Not all features are available through the app
Kaspersky Safe Kids offers a lot of control to parents, all to help keep kids safe. When used properly, it can monitor and block or warn kids about restricted sites. It can also help with offline activities, helping you keep your kids available and in the safe zone. You can sign up for Kaspersky here.
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- The Good
- No subscription fee
- Individual filter options
- Limit time on specific sites, not just the entire web
- Pause Internet access for the whole house
- The Bad
- Hardware could require regular upgrades
- Only works around the house without a Circle Go subscription
Circle with Disney is a new take on parental controls. Instead of the software solution that is more common, Circle offers a hardware solution that controls internet access directly from the router. It intercepts data as it travels between devices and the router, so it can monitor and deny traffic that should be blocked.
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- Price
- Free version
- Premium version for $14.99 per year
Kaspersky Safe Kids is one of the most affordable parental control solutions on the market. Not only does it offer a completely free version, but you can also get the expanded features at a fraction of the cost that some competitors charge.
- Price
- $99
Some parental controls cost upwards of $100 per year. Others are much more moderate on an annual basis, but Circle offers a one-time cost of $99 for a solution that could last for years. This puts it solidly in the middle of the shelf for pricing, though there is a Circle Go option that extends the service to 4G LTE devices for an additional $9.95 per month.
- Features
- Site filter with blocking or warning
- Multiple user setups
- App management
- Usage time management
- Location settings
With the premium version of Kaspersky Safe Kids, you get a package that extends well beyond the digital world. You can monitor your child’s online activity, see text messages and monitor phone use. Set a safe boundary and you will be notified if your child leaves the area. You can even set “on” and “off” times for internet usage, so you know that the kids aren’t going online after lights out.
- Features
- Create individual usage profiles for every user
- Program daily time limits for specific apps and sites
- Set filter levels by age
- Set a BedTime that shuts off the Internet at a preset time
- Pause the Internet for one family member or the whole house
With Circle, you can set the house internet rules and leave Circle to enforce them. If you want the kids to spend less time watching videos, limit them to 90 minutes of videos on YouTube, Netflix, Hulu or other similar sites. Tired of fighting about bedtime? Let Circle shut down the internet on time, every time. Plus, you can add some time if the kids are nearly done with a film or you want to reward good behavior. You have nearly total control over internet access and how it is used.
- Remote Access
- Yes
Thanks to real-time notifications about suspicious activity, you can instantly respond to potential threats. Simply log in to your Kaspersky Safe Kids management account, and check any notifications or make changes to permissions. If you want to give temporary access to a specific website, you can. If you need to check and see where your child is, no problem. Kaspersky gives you access to all of the program features through a browser-based platform, making it available on the go.
- Remote Access
- Remote management
Circle only functions around the home. This means you don’t need remote access to make changes when you can connect wirelessly and update settings. If you want remote access, you’ll want a service like Circle Go, which extends all of your device settings onto 4G LTE networks, so the same settings apply at home and on the go. You can manage setting changes remotely, but this only applies to devices connected to your home Wi-Fi.
- Supported Devices
- PCs
- Macs
- iPhone/iPad
- Android
Full Kaspersky functionality is only available on PC, Mac and Android. For iPhones and iPads, you can install age-appropriate filters that come preset. Unfortunately, due to the iOS operating system, it is not possible to enable full functionality on these devices. However, you can still track activity and enable notification so your kids know when they are visiting a site that they are not allowed to use.
- Supported Devices
- iOS
- Android
Circle is compatible with virtually any router, but the control mechanism is through an app-based interface. That means you will need a device that can run on Android or iOS to change the settings and set up user profiles. Both the Android and iOS apps offer the same functionality, and you can even use a PC if you have an emulator that allows you to run Android apps.
- Social Media Monitoring
- Yes
Social media is more difficult to track than general web browsing, but Kaspersky does include monitoring on some of the most popular sites, like Facebook. It can only monitor public information though, so you might want to be particularly careful about social media sites. Cyberbullying is an increasingly common issue, and social media sites are the favorite medium for sending nasty messages and harassing other kids.
- Social Media Monitoring
- No
Circle offers incredibly granular control over web browsing and internet usage, but it does not monitor social media activity. If you want to see what your kids are doing on Facebook or make sure no one is harassing them on Instagram, you’ll need to monitor those platforms manually.
Kaspersky Safe Kids: User Reviews
Circle with Disney: User Reviews
Kaspersky Safe Kids: Comments
Circle with Disney: Comments
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How Does Kaspersky Safe Kids Work?
Installing and running Kaspersky Safe Kids is quick and easy. From the website, you simply follow the instructions for the type of device you want to protect. There are options for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. Once you’ve installed the software, you can change the settings from your online dashboard or through the parental app.
You will need to set up individual profiles for each of your kids. Doing so allows you to ensure all content is age-appropriate for the user, set usage limits and monitor individual online activity. If your kids also have portable devices, you can set up additional features like geofencing.
Kaspersky Safe Kids works by notifying you of any suspicious activity and letting you control what your kids can and can’t do while online. You can block access to specific websites, deny web access once they reach their usage limit or just monitor their conversations to make sure they aren’t sharing information that could be a security risk.
What Makes Kaspersky Stand Out?
Kaspersky Safe Kids is not the most feature-rich parental control option out there, but the features it does offer are top of the line. Solid internet filtering lets you set it and forget it unless your child asks for a change. Then, you can take a look at specific sites and allow access on a case-by-case basis.
With geofencing, you can use the location information from your child’s phone to set physical boundaries. If your child leaves that safe zone, you get an immediate notification. You can also check to see if children are where they said they would be, at any time of the day or night. As long as they have their phone, you can track them.
Another positive aspect of Kaspersky is that it isn’t limited to just browser activity. It also tracks apps, messaging, MMS and calls. No, you can’t listen in on kids’ calls, but you can see who they are talking to and contact your service provider to block inappropriate numbers.
Public Facebook monitoring is another piece that sets Kaspersky apart. Other parental control solutions may not offer any social media monitoring, or if they do, it may come with a separate price tag attached. Kaspersky Safe Kids includes public Facebook monitoring, so you won’t be caught by surprise if something happens on social media.
Common Kaspersky Safe Kids Reviews
Most reviews for Kaspersky Safe Kids are positive. Even the free version generates mostly 4- and 5-star reviews. However, do keep in mind that children do not always appreciate the limitations placed on them by parental controls. You will find plenty of negative reviews, though only some are from parents complaining about the product.
Some of the most common user complaints are about features parents would like to see added. For example, many users note that it would be helpful if they could set daily usage limits and schedule offline periods at the same time. One user had some trouble when the usage limit locked the phone completely, disabling even features such as the clock and calling functionality. Barring some recommendations for added features, Kaspersky generally receives high marks.
Most users say it works exactly as advertised, blocking inappropriate sites and allowing tracking both online and off.
Is Kaspersky for Me?
Children do not always understand the complexities of online security. A poorly framed picture can post your address for the world to see, and a comment on a site could reveal where your child goes to school. The more information your child posts online, the greater the risk factors. If parents want to remain aware of potential risks and limit the dangers of the online world, parental controls are essential.
With Kaspersky Safe Kids, you can monitor online activity and talk to your kid about inappropriate sites and security issues. You can also use Safe Kids to monitor offline behavior. If your children want to visit a friend, make sure they go where they say they are going using the location settings on their phones. If you are a concerned parent and want an affordable solution to online monitoring and digital tracking, Kaspersky Safe Kids is a solid choice.
How Does Circle with Disney Work?
Most parental control solutions you see are software-based. They act as a kind of firewall, denying access to inappropriate content. Circle is different. Using a method more commonly found among hacking tool boxes, Circle intercepts traffic as it moves between the router and the device, denying access to any content that is not allowed.
By using this method, Circle inspects all of the data passing through the router, limiting the utility of workarounds. Whereas other parental control solutions might fail due to a browser plug-in or add-on, Circle avoids the issue with a hardware solution.
What Makes Circle Stand Out?
All decent parental control solutions enable internet filtering and individual user profiles, but many stop there. With Circle, you not only get the great filtering that blocks pornography and profanity, but you also gain direct control over individual browsing activity.
Remember when parents would take the remote control and set the TV channel? Circle works a lot like that, giving you the ability to pause the internet or shut it off, without any discussion at all. Circle puts an internet remote on your mobile device.
Along with the ability to filter out content, you also get the chance to set time restrictions for specific sites. You can say “no more Facebook tonight,” or “you’ve watched enough YouTube” and really make it stick with Circle filtering enabled.
Scheduled OffTime and BedTime also take the internet off the table when you want the kids to focus on homework or go outside and play. Turn the internet off during dinner or special events. This will help kids find a better balance between online and offline life.
Game systems are another big plus to the Circle system. When using Circle, you can limit internet access through gaming consoles the same way you do through computers or mobile devices. You don’t need to see what games your kids play or directly monitor their play time – Circle does it for you.
Common Reviews of Circle with Disney
Circle with Disney brings in an average rating of 3.8-stars, which is not bad for a new device. However, there are a few issues that deserve a mention. You’ll want to make sure your router is compatible with Circle before you install it. If there is a compatibility issue, it will not work and may interfere with connectivity. If it is compatible, installation is quick and easy. Most users have no trouble starting it up right out of the box.
Once it’s installed, it works as advertised, though some of the functions may require a bit more management than is ideal. For example, if you extend bedtime on Monday, you’ll need to remember to reset it for Tuesday. You’ll also want to give the kids a heads-up before bedtime. When the preset time is reached, there’s no notice before the internet shuts off.
Is Circle with Disney Right for Me?
The bedtime, pause and time limits offered by Circle with Disney make it an ideal solution for parents with children old enough to experiment with workarounds. After all, a parental control solution only works when it’s installed on the device, right? Not with Circle. With Circle, even if your kids bring in a new device, you can set it to deny access until the device has a matching profile.
So, if your kids are old enough to be creative about their attempts to circumvent your parental controls, Circle might be what you need. Not only does it control access to inappropriate sites, but it can also limit game time by cutting off the internet connection to gaming consoles. That’s something that virtually no other parental control systems offer. By directly controlling access to the internet, you avoid a lot of potential problems, like plug-ins that ignore access restrictions or guest accounts with no limitations on them.
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