Making a family plan for summer screen time

As summer approaches, your kids might be looking for downtime (and screen time). To keep them safe while they’re spending time online, start with a conversation about your family’s rules and expectations — then consider setting parental controls to help.

Parental controls can help you limit the types of content your kids can access, how much time they spend online, and who they can chat with. As you consider parental controls, you may want to think about which settings and functions might be most helpful:

• What shows and movies are your kids watching? TV and movie ratings suggest what content might be appropriate based on your child’s age — and help you decide which ratings should be blocked.
• What online games are your kids playing? Ratings and reviews for video games can help you decide if they’re okay for your kids.
• How do your kids stay connected with friends? Many gaming and social media apps with chat functions have settings parents can use to approve a list of friends, or prevent online communication altogether, which helps keep kids from chatting with strangers.

Ready to set up parental controls on your kids’ apps and devices?

• Start with free tools like Apple’s Family Sharing, Google’s Family Link, and Microsoft Family Safety to set screen time limits, restrict apps and content, and get information about your kid’s website and app activity.
• Check settings on video games and cell phones. Is your kid a gamer? Check out controls for gaming platforms, apps, and websites. If your kids have cell phones or connected watches, look for privacy and security settings to block your kids from sharing their location with people they don’t know.
• Add passcodes or PINs to shared devices — or create separate profiles. That way no one can stream shows and movies, scroll social media apps, or make purchases under your account without your permission.

Watch the video below to learn more, and read about protecting your kids online at ftc.gov/kidsonline.

Share this video using the links in the player above or use the YouTube version.