Parents are correct to be interested in the apps that are installed on their child’s iPad. If left unsupervised, children can install a variety of apps that range from educational to social media to games, but are they suitable for your child?
How can you keep an eye on this?
- Can I restrict what my child can do on the iPad?
There are features on the iPad that allow parents to place restrictions on what the child can do, including installing apps. Parents can also apply Family-Sharing so that app purchases, and other functions, have to be approved.
See Parental Controls on iPads in our BeLearning Lounge for more details.
However, we ask that restrictions are not placed on Internet access or mail, as these are required in class and sufficiently controlled at school.
- Does the app have a rating that is suitable for the child’s age?
All apps have a rating assigned to them and these can be viewed in the App Store; the apps installed for school are now all rated 4+.
Parents should be aware of the rating when a child asks to install a new app. Many social media and game apps are rated 13+, some game apps are 18+.
- Can my child hide apps from me?
There are apps called Vault Apps that look and operate like a normal app, such as a calculator, but when used with the correct passcode, while open to show various hidden content. See here for more details and examples.
Alternatively your child could install a jailbreak app, that bypasses all restrictions and limitations placed on the iPad.
The best approach is to sit down with your child and be interested in what they do with their iPad.
Michael Torsello
College eLearning Coordinator