How to lock down a child's phone?

[SamJG]

I tried searching but there are thousands of results. I figured asking would be easier. We're getting a phone for our daughter and need an app to control what she can do. I think on one of the Wan shows Linus was talking about an app that showed gps and controlled the numbers that could be called. Long story long, looking for something that controls phone numbers, app access, and could provide GPS location. Thanks

[LukeNukem9]

Check out mSpy

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-to-track-your-kids-without-them-knowing-youre-on-their-tail_us_55afaff1e4b07af29d56f544

[kb5zue]

The best way to "lock down" a child's phone is to just not give them one.

[iLostMyXbox21]

Either she’s ready for a phone or not

 

 

if you don’t trust her, don’t get it

 

if you do, get it and don’t monitor it

 

 

imo, that’s an invasion of privacy and shows a lack of trust, personally when my parents used to monitor my phone it made me really mad because they said they trusted me but they watched everything I did

 

 

I suggest you don’t monitor it, but every once in a while, do a phone check

[Emanbaird]

OP i would just get them one of those old people phones if you want to lock it down, if they are smart enough they could just factory reset it and use it as normal

[KarathKasun]

You lock the phone down by giving them a non-smart phone.

[KarathKasun]

2 minutes ago, Emanbaird said:

OP i would just get them one of those old people phones if you want to lock it down, if they are smart enough they could just factory reset it and use it as normal

Not if you use your own google account as the primary account on the phone.  Factory reset triggers account protection where you have to enter the original users account info.

 

You can also use the "find my device" function to track the phone, even after a factory reset that results in this "locked out" condition.

[Eastman51]

If you feel they need a phone, but don't quite want to trust them with unrestricted access, get a flip phone (or one of those retro style phones with limited features). 

A flip phone can get you texting (lol) and voice calls, and most don't even have apps. Not sure how you'd block/restrict access to phone numbers on even a smartphone though, so you may not be able to do that on a flip phone either

[SamJG]

Obviously not giving her a phone would be the best way... 

She's super into phones and loves talking to her grandparents. Under 10 but only watches YouTube toy review type videos so we figured it would be a good birthday present. Just looking for something that can control numbers that can be called so she can only call me, my wife, grandparents, etc.. App access so I can just turn off chrome and whatnot, and GPS if anything were to happen. 

[FuzzyYellow]

get an iPhone and enable parental controls. it's built-in and easy to use. It even allows app time limits with ScreenTime.

[Juniiii]

Trust your daughter and let her have freedom, if she is really young like under the age of 8 then maybe you should control everything, but if she’s a teen take a moment and think, imagine all her friends with freedom and here you’re locking everything down and watching everything she does, let her have some freedom, check her phone every once in a while but don’t monitor everything, honestly evil and shows that you can’t trust her as a parent.

[Emanbaird]

OP i would just get her a flip phone so she can call you and then something like a tablet or an ipod touch, my old flip phone my parents were able to talk with the carrier and lock my phone down.

 

But i agree with the others. monitoring her phone will only make her hate you if shes anything like me.

[TheWutofWat]

1 minute ago, SamJG said:

Obviously not giving her a phone would be the best way... 

She's super into phones and loves talking to her grandparents. Under 10 but only watches YouTube toy review type videos so we figured it would be a good birthday present. Just looking for something that can control numbers that can be called so she can only call me, my wife, grandparents, etc.. App access so I can just turn off chrome and whatnot, and GPS if anything were to happen. 

if u want, u can get her an Android phone where u can get a Google account for children and so it will be locked down a lot. 

not sure how much it can be locked down, all I know is that U control it and she CANNOT install any app without UR permission, Linus said something like this before on a Wanshow.

[KarathKasun]

Just now, Juniiii said:

Trust your daughter and let her have freedom, if she is really young like under the age of 8 then maybe you should control everything, but if she’s a teen take a moment and think, imagine all her friends with freedom and here you’re locking everything down and watching everything she does, let her have some freedom, check her phone every once in a while but don’t monitor everything, honestly evil and shows that you can’t trust her as a parent.

Eh, IMHO, a child can have full phone access when they can afford their own phone.

[SupaKomputa]

Parental Control

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1075738?hl=en

[Juniiii]

Please do not lock their phone down and let them have freedom.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, SamJG said:

Obviously not giving her a phone would be the best way... 

She's super into phones and loves talking to her grandparents.

Do they have any iOS devices? 

An Apple iPad or something would be a better substitute if you don’t want her calling the wrong people. 

In conjunction you could get her a “dumb” phone and then the iPad could be for her media. 

 

I think service carriers like Verizon can help control your “dumb” phone. 

 

Edit:

i agree though. Trust her or don’t. 

[KarathKasun]

2 minutes ago, Juniiii said:

Please do not lock their phone down and let them have freedom.

Kids do exceptionally dumb things, it is the parents job to not just leave them at the local truck stop.  Same goes for internet and communications access.

[SamJG]

I was typing while a few responses came in. It's not that I don't trust her with a phone, just riding on the side of caution. She's quite tech savvy. I could care less about spying. Back to my main point just looking for a useful app to put some basic control over the phone. I know I can put contacts on the home screen for her to call but would like to be able to control some stuff

[SupaKomputa]

Just now, KarathKasun said:

Eh, IMHO, a child can have full phone access when they can afford their own phone.

i was against child smartphone, until i realize every kid in the school carried one, that would leave the child sitting alone in the corner.

you just can't fight it, the best way is to give it with a proper moderation.

welcome to the future.

[Juniiii]

3 minutes ago, SamJG said:

I was typing while a few responses came in. It's not that I don't trust her with a phone, just riding on the side of caution. She's quite tech savvy. I could care less about spying. Back to my main point just looking for a useful app to put some basic control over the phone. I know I can put contacts on the home screen for her to call but would like to be able to control some stuff

iOS or Android and what kind of controlling would you like to do?

 

[KarathKasun]

1 minute ago, SupaKomputa said:

i was against child smartphone, until i realize every kid in the school carried one, that would leave the child sitting alone in the corner.

you just can't fight it, the best way is to give it with a proper moderation.

welcome to the future.

That was my point.  If a teen wants a phone without access controls or block on it, they can pay for it with a job of some kind or smart management of gift money..

[TrueMegaManiac]

If you can, whitelist phone numbers you and other family numbers and maybe one or two good friends of hers. Don't want any weirdo's or robocalls texting or calling. Then get a cheapo android phone and use the google parental controls mentioned in other comments.

[SupaKomputa]

1 minute ago, KarathKasun said:

That was my point.  If a teen wants a phone without access controls or block on it, they can pay for it with a job of some kind or smart management of gift money..

No, i don't agree with that, sorry.

Giving that choice would force them to do anything to get money.

They could sell drugs, steal or even sell their body for sex.

Before they are adults, money should came from you, not from somebody else, no matter what.

[SamJG]

We talked about a flip phone and my wife said if we're getting her a phone it should be a smart phone which makes sense. She likes YouTube and watching movies so it would be a good investment. She's a smart kid so I guess just trusting her with it is the best option. The only reason I asked is I saw Linus talking about an app on one of the Wan shows when he got his kid a phone and it had everything I would be looking for. Thanks for the replies though