These days it’s not only the adults that own smartphones, but there are children who are proud owners of these amazing devices. The children are usually teenagers who are at an experimental phase in their lives, which means there could be buying and surfing all sorts of content online. So if there is a child in the family who owns an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, there is no need to worry about what the child is being exposed to. This is all thanks to security measures taken by Apple in order to ensure that children are being monitored.
Children are getting smarter and are also tech savvy, even more than their parents. There are however a number of ways to ensure that children do not get hold of unsuitable content. While these devices are a great tool for education, entertainment and communication, there are products that can be accessed that are unsuitable for children. For the parents’ peace of mind, there are family and security functions that can be used to monitor children’s smartphone usage.
Features such as Family Sharing are a good way for parents to monitor their children’s phone usage. With this feature, up to six people in the family can share purchases from iTunes, iBooks and the App Store without sharing accounts. Family purchases can be made through the same credit card and also approve children’s spending from a parent’s device. Family Sharing also lets people share their location; a great way to know where the children are at all times.
By activating the Ask to Buy app, children will need permission to make purchases from iTunes, iBooks and App Store. Parents can also create Apple IDs for children under the age of 13. Restrictions or parental controls can also be turned on from the iOS device to prevent access to specific apps and features. When there is a checkmark next to an item, this means that the parent is allowing access to that item. Parents can also choose the types of content that they want their children to access as well as ratings, including age-appropriate ratings. Changes to these settings can be made at any time.
Losing an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus is also not a train smash like losing other devices. The free Find My iPhone app allows family members to track a lost device and have it play a sound even if the ringer is off. It is however important to ensure that the app is turned on. Parents can visit www.myistore.co.za to get more tips on family and security functions and features.