How Can Parental Control Apps Help Prevent Cyberbullying?

Esther Bailey, ParentalControlNow.org

Esther Bailey

October 1, 2024

Can Parental Control Apps Help Prevent Cyberbullying?

In today's digital age, children are increasingly exposed to the internet and social media, which can put them at risk of cyberbullying.

For starters:

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that involves the use of electronic devices to harass, intimidate, or humiliate someone. It can take many forms, such as posting mean comments, spreading rumors, or sharing embarrassing photos or videos.

And you know what?

Cyberbullying can be especially harmful because it can happen 24/7 and can reach a wider audience than traditional bullying. As such, parents are increasingly turning to parental control apps to help prevent cyberbullying. But can these apps really make a difference?

Cyberbullying on a child's phone
Cyberbullying on a child's phone

Parental control apps are software programs that allow parents to monitor and control their children's online activity. They can be used to set time limits, block websites or apps, and monitor social media activity.

And here’s the deal:

Some parental control apps also offer features specifically designed to prevent cyberbullying, such as monitoring for keywords or phrases associated with bullying behavior and alerting parents if their child is being bullied or if they are engaging in bullying behavior themselves.

So, can parental control apps help prevent cyberbullying? The short answer is yes, they can. Here's how:

Monitoring for cyberbullying behavior

Some parental control apps have the ability to monitor for certain keywords or phrases that are commonly associated with cyberbullying, such as:

  • "go kill yourself"
  • "you're ugly"
  • "you're not important in this world"
  • "you're stupid"
  • "you have no friends"
  • "you freak"

If the app detects these words, it can alert parents so they can intervene before the situation escalates.

Limiting access to social media

Social media is a common platform for cyberbullying, so limiting your child's access to it can help prevent them from being exposed to harmful content or engaging in negative behavior themselves. Parental control apps can be used to set time limits for social media use or to block access to certain social media platforms altogether.

Blocking access to inappropriate content

In addition to monitoring for cyberbullying behavior, parental control apps can also be used to block access to inappropriate content, such as violent or sexually explicit material. This can help prevent your child from being exposed to content that may contribute to or exacerbate cyberbullying.

Blocking inappropriate content
Blocking inappropriate content

Providing a safe space for communication

Some parental control apps offer a safe space for communication between parents and children. This can be particularly helpful in the case of cyberbullying, as it provides a way for children to report incidents of bullying to their parents and for parents to offer support and guidance.

However, while parental control apps can be a useful tool in preventing cyberbullying, they should not be relied on as the sole solution. Here are some limitations to keep in mind:

Limited effectiveness

Parental control apps are not foolproof and may not be able to catch all instances of cyberbullying. For example, if the bully is using code language or messaging apps that are not monitored by the parental control app, the app may not detect the behavior.

Resistance from children

Children may feel that their privacy is being invaded or that they are being punished unfairly if their online activity is monitored too closely. This can lead to resistance or pushback, which may make it more difficult for parents to effectively use parental control apps.

The need for open communication

Parental control apps should not replace open communication between parents and children. It is important to have regular conversations with your child about online safety and to establish clear rules and expectations for their online behavior.

Conversations about online safety
Conversations about online safety

The potential for over-reliance

Parents may become over-reliant on parental control apps and neglect other important aspects of parenting, such as spending quality time with their children or fostering open communication and trust.

In conclusion, parental control apps can be a helpful tool in preventing cyberbullying, but they should not be relied on as the sole solution.

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Parental control software is an app that is downloaded to a master phone (usually a parent’s phone), with other apps either secretly (or not so secretly) downloaded to the target (usually, your children’s) phones. The apps then track, monitor and even secretly screenshot or record the target phone’s, with a variety of features to ensure you're kept in the loop of what your children might be doing with their devices.

Because there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and you get what you pay for. To our knowledge, any parental control software that has a free plan either isn't worth the time, or will be so severely limited in what it can do that it becomes useless as a parental control tool.

It depends on the specific parental control software you use, but otherwise, yes. Most devices and operating systems are supported, including our remember parental control software for you, above.

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