Modern technology has stepped far forward. Even in the recent past, the favorite pastime of all children was cartoons or active games with friends in the yard. Now, almost every student has a modern gadget. Children are much better at technology than adults. They themselves can configure their device, upload various content to it and download their favorite applications and games. However, not all materials available on the World Wide Web are useful for a child.
Microsoft Parental Controls
Very often there are games with elements of violence, pornographic elements come across. Most likely, your child will not pay attention to a mark with an age limit. Microsoft has taken up this issue seriously. She created all the necessary technologies for careful parental control. This applies not only to computer products, but also for many mobile OS.
For example, a section such as “My Family” was introduced on Windows Phone 8 smartphones . This service provides the ability to monitor the work of the child with his gadget. We will talk more about this service and how to set up the My Family section in this publication. You will learn how to make device management comfortable for all family members.
"My family" - what services does the service provide?
Using this technology, first of all, you will be able to manage the process of downloading games and applications for your child. So, you will be able to view the programs that your children install, study their rating and set their own limits. There are several types of functions that you can use:
- Allow children to buy applications and download free versions.
- Prevent installing paid content.
- Fully put a taboo on downloading applications and games.
- Set a rating for programs that a child can download.
- Prevent unpopular apps from downloading.
I would like to note that the rating largely determines the quality of the content that your little ones can download. For example, games that do not have positive ratings may contain objectionable content.
Agree, such a service is quite useful for many parents. How to set up the My Family section? Indeed, many Windows Phone users face a number of difficulties in registering and managing the service.
Set up My Family
In order to fully use Windows Phone and reveal its full potential, you will need a Microsoft account. When registering, the user will be asked to indicate their age. If he is less than 18 years old, this will impose some restrictions on the use of the smartphone. Changing account settings will fail. You can only create a new account, while resetting the settings to the factory settings and losing some personal data, user settings. If there are no users in the family whose age has already reached 18 years, you can’t do without a new account. But if such users are present, the My Family service will come to the rescue. We have to configure it.
First of all, you need to register on windowsphone.com. This must be the account of the parent (i.e. an adult who has reached the age of majority). After successful authorization, the My Family section will open automatically. If you log into it for the first time and do not have other parent accounts, you will immediately see the "Start" button. By clicking on it, you can add a new child account. Next, to configure the "My Family" section, you need to enter data from the "child" account. If your child does not yet have an account, you must add it, and only then repeat all the manipulations described above.
Xbox.com setup
Next you will need to go to Xbox.com. Login should be through the data of the "child" account. To continue working, you must agree to all the terms of the Microsoft services agreements, give consent to the processing of data, and so on. In the next section, which will appear in front of you, you will need to once again check the account information of the child. Remember that you can’t fix anything later, only by creating a new account.
If the data is correct, click "I accept" and go to the next item. If you find that, for example, you logged in with your account, and not using the data of the child, you will need to log out and log in again. Thus, you have agreed to create a network profile on the site. After that, you will automatically be taken to a page where you will need to enter the data of the "parent" account. Do this and click on "Next."
Rights for child account
Now you know how to set up the My Family section. On the next page, you can already edit all the settings for parental control. The "adult" and "children's" account have different rights to manage settings. Of course, they are more extensive with the parent. So, adults have the opportunity to add new members of the service and monitor the downloading of children's applications. However, they cannot set up each other's accounts. Children can only enter the section, but do not have any rights to the settings.
Family settings
Initially, family settings are set by default. Then you can edit them as you see fit. In addition to managing applications, you have the ability to control other aspects. For example, you can allow or deny accepting friend requests or chatting with friends using text or voice messages. You can forbid to play frank video content or music. If you do not want your child to play on the network or publish something on social networks, you also have the right to block access to such actions.
You can edit these settings at any time. This feature is very useful when your child is at school and you do not want him to be distracted. Or you are trying to protect it from the effects of negative materials present on the Internet. My Family on Windows Phone is a great way to parental control. After all, Microsoft always cares about the comfort and safety of your children. Now you know how to set up the My Family section. Your child will always be protected from inappropriate content.