In the coming months, Google plans to add an option whereby parents can authorise certain contacts on smartphones and tablets (from Android 14 up). — Reuters
BERLIN: Google has updated its parenting app Family Link with a new option to set a certain time of the day as "school time" to block any distractions a child might get from their phone.
The school time feature, previously only available for certain Fitbit and Samsung smartwatches, is now rolling out for all Android devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Google is also letting parents manage their children's contacts using the Family Link app. A parent can then approve, restrict or pause notifications in phone or messaging apps for certain time frames.
In the coming months, Google plans to add an option whereby parents can authorise certain contacts on smartphones and tablets (from Android 14 up). The child can then contact only these people using Google Messages or with the phone app.
The app will also let parents restrict contact options for existing contacts. Children will be able to request that their parents add new contacts. Currently, contact management only works on Samsung's Galaxy Watch Kids.
However this feature works best for Google Messages users, and your child will essentially still be able to contact whomever they want on third-party apps like WhatsApp or Signal. The emergency call will always be accessible regardless of the settings.
The revised Family Link user interface comes with a new screen time tab that, in addition to an app- and device-specific usage overview and time limits, also allows you to set the quiet time and school mode features.
And the settings tab should now make it easier to manage the children's account, privacy settings and download rules, as well as the content filter.
If you manage multiple children's accounts and devices, you can now simply swipe back and forth between the different profiles to switch in the Family Link app. – dpa/Tribune News Service
