Google Overhauls Family Link App, Adds Location Tracking

pcmag.com:

Google has redesigned its Family Link parental control platform with a simpler interface that sorts everything into three main tabs—Highlights, Controls, Location. And keep an eye on the notifications bell at the top, where you can track children's requests for app downloads, purchases, and access to blocked websites.

The Highlights tab shows a snapshot of your kid's app usage, screen time, and recently installed apps, "so you can understand how your child has been using their device," according to(Opens in a new window) Family Link product manager Wendi Rieb. The company is also introducing resources from partners Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, and the Family Online Safety Institute to help users navigate conversations around digital security.

"We're just getting started with the Highlights tab, and will be updating this section over time with more helpful insights and content," Rieb says.

The real star of the group is the Controls tab, where users can schedule screen time for individual devices and apps, set content restrictions, and manage data permissions. It also houses the new "Today Only" option, which overrides and adjusts general settings for one day, without changing the rest of your programming.

"We understand there are times when you just want to temporarily change screen time settings in case your child needs a bit more time," Rieb says. "Like if you're on a vacation or they simply must finish the last two minutes of their favorite show."

When Family Link launched in 2017, it didn't come with typical parental control features like monitoring a child's physical location. That's no longer the case with Google's Location tab. The function places "all of your children on the same map" with details like