We also considered whether or not these services permit parents to monitor their children’s hobbies on social media, though, in most instances, the features we found were quite limited. You both need to “root” a tool — which we no longer advocate — or have your toddler quit their username and password.

I tested Android capabilities on both a Sharp Aquos Crystal and an LG Optimus Exceed 2, which ran Android four.4 KitKat. For iOS variations, I used an iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 9. I tested every app two times, from setup to trying out to uninstall. I monitored interest and controlled settings on a MacBook Pro and used an HTC One M8 and an IPhone 6 Plus to send texts or call the Android device I turned into a monitor.
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Both Norton Family Premier and Qustodio for Families Premium support iOS versions, which we examined and rated separately from their Android counterparts. Apple imposes limits on what 1/3-party apps are capable of managing. While some of the regulations have been eased since iOS nine’s release, the Android platform nevertheless enables significantly stronger parental tracking controls.
None of the services examined for iPhone were able to successfully restrict how much time a toddler could spend on their iPhone; we also couldn’t screen texts or block specific contacts. You can display more on the iPhone than you could a year ago; however, Android remains a higher platform if you want greater control over how your kids use their cell gadgets. Parents of kids with iOS devices might be nicely suggested to familiarize themselves with the parental management options in iOS nine’s Settings app.
What We Didn’t Include
Parental-control apps for cell devices work well when they’re a part of a comprehensive approach to coaching your kids about behaving responsibly online. That manner speaks for your kids about what they need to and shouldn’t do with their mobile devices, virtually communicating how you expect them to behave and making clear that you will be monitoring what they do with their telephones.
For that reason, we avoided testing apps that run most effectively in stealth mode on a toddler’s phone. Products including WebWatcher and mSpy both tout this functionality; however, we are conscious that some humans use such offerings to spy on a secret agent, not on their kids, but on their spouses or other adults, which is illegal in most U.S. Jurisdictions.
[Update: We’ve recently become aware that both PhoneSheriff and Mobile Spy allow the installer to turn off user notifications, leaving the phone user unaware that they are being monitored. Jealous spouses or lovers have reportedly used both apps to spy on adults, although we have not been able to confirm that.]
We also no longer bear in mind apps that offered the capability to record smartphone conversations because property laws vary on the legality of recording someone without their consent.

