How To Setup Parental Controls On The Android Play Store

Speaking of how to activate Parental Control for smartphones and tablets, we have already mentioned the possibility that Google has introduced devices that work through Android to limit the download of apps on a smartphone or tablet. In fact, not all parents know that through a simple configuration to be carried out on their children’s smartphone/tablet, it is possible to limit the apps and games that can be downloaded, as well as prevent the viewing of films unsuitable for a certain age.

How Do You Set Up Parental Controls On The Play Store?

1. Open the Play Store
2. Open the menu tab by contacting the key and the three flat lines.
3. Select the Settings thing.
4. Find and tap on “Parental Controls.”
5. On the screen, click the checkbox on one side of “Parental Controls Off.”
6. Enter the PIN, which will be utilized to roll out ensuing improvements to the settings.
7. NB: it might appear to be over the top. However, it is fitting to set an alternate PIN from the one used to get to or open the gadget – because youngsters normally definitely know it.

You can design the settings for the various segments Applications and Games, Films and Music.

Apps And Games

On the Apps & Games screen of the Play Store Parental Controls, you can set the maximum PEGI rating for apps children and teenagers can install on their devices. As you can see in the image, by default, it is set that all types of apps can be downloaded, from PEGI 3 to PEGI 18. To remove the possibility of downloading apps belonging to some of these categories, simply select the category you want to exclude and then click SAVE.

Movie

When we talk about MOVIES on the Play Store, we mean the ability to download videos and movies to your device directly through this app. Following the same basic philosophy, in the film screen, it is possible to limit the downloading and viewing of films that do not meet the requirements to be enjoyed by certain age groups.

Music

When we talk about MUSIC on the Play Store, we mean the possibility of downloading audio and songs to your device directly through this app. In this case, the method for limiting access to music marked as inappropriate for children is very basic. As you can see from the image below, it can be managed by placing or unchecking the item “Limit music marked as explicit by the content providers”.

Prevent And Turn Off The Purchase Of Apps From The Play Store

Returning to the Play Store SETTINGS screen, it is also possible to set the Google Play Store so that it is impossible to install paid applications, disabling purchases from the Play Store.

1. Open the Play Store
2. Open the menu tab by touching the key and the three horizontal lines
3. Select the Settings item
4. Scroll down to find and tap “Require authentication for purchases”.
5. Check that the selected setting is “For all purchases on Google Play from this device.”

Please note: Parental Control is applied exclusively to the record of the gadget on which it has been set up. If few clients utilize a gadget, you can set different Parental Control settings for each.

Conclusion: Is It Worth Using Parental Control On The Play Store?

This is the question: “Is it worth using Parental Control on the Play Store? “. Going a little deeper, the impression is that the Parental Control mode can be quite “ineffective” in some respects. It is true that, on the one hand, it allows parents to set limits on downloading and installing apps and games, movies and music. But the PEGI rating is quite useless if we talk about the apps. Many apps are classified as PEGI 3 or, with the words “Parental supervision”, circumvents the filter possibly set in the Play Store. 

For this reason, once again, the advice is not to leave it and base one’s education and management of the digital “thing” on an algorithm because the algorithms can be circumvented in some way – even by those who develop apps and are interested in having their app, even if it belongs to a risky category, still downloadable. The physical presence of an adult and parents who can guide their children in their choices continues to be fundamental, choosing a pro-active educational path instead of the restrictive path of the upstream “prohibition”.

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