Kaspersky Safe Kids Review
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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.
Other Parental Control Reviews
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Kaspersky Safe Kids: User Reviews
Kaspersky Safe Kids: Comments
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.
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