After the last two years of increasing screen time, it is more important than ever that parents are vigilant in monitoring the content their children are viewing online.  However the reality is that as parents, caretakers, and people in our own right, our attention is constantly split.  In this article we are going to take you through the steps to block unwanted content on your child’s iPad or iPhone.

It is not uncommon that most people have two, or more, devices to navigate the internet (often at the same time!)  Our children are no exception.  How many times have you handed your phone to your toddler for a little peace at a restaurant?  Swapped your kid’s dead iPad for something with more battery?  Allow your child to browse on grandma’s tablet?

Parents are constantly registering the dangers of our external world for their children, so it’s no wonder that in our exhaustion we see a little screen-time as a quiet, safe moment. Sadly, this is not the reality.  Until our online spaces are policed as well as our public spaces, caretakers need to regain some control over what their children are viewing.

‍How to block unwanted content on iPhone and iPad

‍Staying up to date with shifting technology and internet trends can be a full-time job.  Luckily there is help!  With a little know-how (and know-WHY) keeping our children secure from online threats is becoming easier.

Blocking inappropriate sites and content on iPhone and iPad is a good first step.  Here we will outline how to do just that in four simple steps because, as we found, it is not as “intuitive” as many believe.  Do this across all devices in your home to help safe-guard your children online.

1. Find the “Screen Time” tab located inside the Settings App.  Toggle the “Content and Privacy Restrictions” button to turn on controls. 

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2. Enter the “Content Restrictions” menu.  You may be prompted to enter a new passcode.  Use one your child doesn’t know.

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3. Enter the “Web Content” menu.  Select “Limit Adult Websites” or “Allowed Websites Only” according to your preferences.

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4. Add any sites you want to be allowed and any sites you prefer to be restricted on the bottom of the “Web Content” page.

More information can be found at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304

Inputting individual sites into parental controls

You will notice under the option “Allowed Websites Only” that Apple has preloaded a short list of pre-approved kid-friendly sites.  This may be a good option for a young child.  However, it can serve much frustration if you share or allow your child on your own device.  ‍

‍For many of us the option of inputting sites and/or links into parental controls is not only time-consuming, it is also not possible.  Many parents don’t even know where to start!  ‍

‍Deciding what is inappropriate is easy at the moment, but often it is too late (like when my own child image-searched Marilyn Monroe after learning about Warhol’s art… YIKES!)  Content restrictions are more like a sieve than a wall… the art of sorting information through artificial intelligence is no match the cautious eye of a parent.

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‍Why we are building ASTROSAFE (Prev. URSOR)

Remember, changing your content restrictions on iPad and iPhone is only one step in keeping your child’s eyes on appropriate content.  There are many other apps, gaming systems, and streaming services that parents need to be engaged in monitoring.  You will likely find that each app requires its own settings, and that some don't even have the option!

This is where URSOR comes to the rescue! 

URSOR’s goal is to create the very first Internet for Kids.  Inside our app is your child’s very own browser where you (and they) can be free from the restrictions of each other’s needs.  URSOR helps children build confidence and learn independence in a safe, controlled manner by providing access to content that has been curated by a team of flesh-and-blood humans (no robots here!)

We (humans) here at URSOR aim to build an age-appropriate ecosystem in which children can organically surf the internet without the constant threat of targeted ads, pop-ups, unrelated content, and spammy click-bait.  Our children should not be the customers on which big-tech makes their profit.  Their priorities should be to remain children, remain curious, and remain optimistic so they can grow to be resilient, future-forward and thoughtful adults.

More than just parental controls, we provide a browser for kids that satisfies their curiosity and need for freedom with parents’ desires to limit access to a (too big and too adult) online world.

URSOR also includes the following features to help care-takers guide their children’s first steps into the information superhighway.

1.  Family-friendly filtering of inappropriate/adult content
2.  Spark conversations with your kids by adding your own links
3.  Curated links from URSOR to help inspire a kid’s curiosity
4.  Parental controls to teach the art of screen moderation!
5. A search engine that lets children explore a safe sandpit of the internet

The positives of living in our newly connected world should not be drowned in the noisy mass of irrelevant information, faceless trolls, and heartless corporations.  Now is the time to mould our new online society into a friendlier, more useful space.  Starting with the next generation makes sense to us at URSOR.  With the first generation of digital natives becoming parents themselves, we are discovering the importance of using the internet as a tool for information and communication in a way that still preserves the integrity of the individual. 

To learn more about ASTROSAFE's  mission and goals.