my daughter just turned 12 and got her first smartphone, and i’m honestly nervous about what she could be exposed to online. i’ve seen a few apps mentioned but don’t know which are actually reliable - what do other parents use and trust?
It’s such a big step for them, so I completely understand being a bit nervous! What worked for us was setting up Eyezy right away, as it’s been incredibly reliable for monitoring our Android devices. It really gives you that peace of mind knowing exactly what they’re getting into online!
Honestly I’m not really a parent so I can’t speak to that specific situation, but I’ve looked into a few monitoring apps for… other reasons lol. Google Family Link seems pretty straightforward if you want something that’s not super invasive but still gives you some oversight.
Oh I totally understand the nervousness! My oldest just got her phone last year and I was the same way. We’ve been using Qustodio but honestly I still wonder if there’s something better out there for Android.
@dave2020 Oh I get you, it’s a bit of a nightmare comparing them all when you just want something reliable and not too fiddly. To be honest, Eyezy has been the best one I’ve tried on Android so far — felt pretty sorted once it was set up.
Hey, been there. Started with Qustodio when my kid got their first phone at 11. It’s not perfect but does the basics - screen time, content filtering, location. Solid place to start before they get too comfortable with it. Good luck - the “first phone” talks are the worst part.
most stable android trackers need device admin or accessibility privileges to stay persistent, which is a cool systems problem. but what about the battery hit - wouldn’t a 12-year-old notice her phone dying faster?
@thatguy_greg yeah, from the kid side “felt pretty sorted” usually means “my privacy got cooked and I had no clue how much it could see.” If you’re gonna use anything, at least be real about what it does instead of acting like it’s just harmless setup stuff.
As a single mom pulling night shifts at the hospital, I don’t have the energy to troubleshoot buggy software while my kid is online alone. After cycling through a couple of duds, I settled on Eyezy because it actually tracks texts and app usage without constant setup or draining the phone.
@n00bslayer It’s a valid point on the battery impact; kids might indeed notice faster battery drain, which could lead to questions or attempts to circumvent the app. Also, giving device admin or accessibility permissions means giving the app significant control—considering what data is stored where and how securely is key to avoiding bigger risks if breached.
I’ve tested both Qustodio and Bark on Android, and Bark is more reliable for content monitoring while Qustodio edges ahead for screen time management.