How to make your child’s devices safer

Enabling parental controls on your router is essential to help protect children from inappropriate content and limit screen time during unsupervised hours.

1. Login to your router

• Open a browser and enter your router’s IP address (e.g. 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
• Use your admin login.

2. Enable parental controls

• Navigate to Advanced > Parental Controls.
• Select your child’s device by name or MAC address.

3. Set time-based restrictions

• Define a schedule to block internet access from
  e.g. 9pm to 7am, Sunday to Thursday.
• Use the Whitelist option with no websites added to block all access during these hours.

4. Save and apply settings

• Confirm and apply changes.
• Ensure the router’s system time is correct for the schedule to work properly.
  
  

UK broadband providers offering free parental controls

• BT - Network-level filters via BT Parental Controls
• Sky - Sky Broadband Shield
• TalkTalk - HomeSafe and eero Secure
• Virgin Media - Web Safe filters

These can be activated via your provider’s account dashboard and apply to all devices on the home network.

Open Settings on your child’s device.

1. Tap Screen Time.
2. Select This is My Child’s Device.
3. Set a Screen Time passcode to stop your child from changing the settings.
4. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.

What you can control

• App limits - Set daily time limits for apps and games.
• Content filters - Block adult websites, explicit music, and age-restricted apps.
• Purchases - Stop in-app purchases or App Store downloads.
• Communication - Limit who your child can call, message or FaceTime.
• Game features - Restrict multiplayer games and adding friends.
• Privacy settings - Control access to location, camera, and microphone.

Manage remotely

If you use Family Sharing, you can manage these settings from your own device.

Option 1: Use Google Play Parental Controls

These controls apply only to the device you set them on.

To set them up:

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile icon (top right).
3. Go to Settings > Family > Parental Controls.
4. Turn on Parental Controls and create a PIN your child doesn’t know.
5. Choose the type of content to filter (apps, games, films, books, etc.).
6. Set maturity levels for downloads and purchases.

Note: These controls don’t block content found through search or direct links.

PlayStation consoles offer flexible parental controls to help you manage your child’s gaming experience. You can limit screen time, restrict content, manage spending, and control communication features.

Getting Started

To set up parental controls, you’ll need:

• Your own PlayStation Network (PSN) account
• A child account for your child

If you create the child account, you become the Family Manager. You can also appoint other trusted adults as Guardians to help manage settings.

Setting Up on PS5

1. Press the PS button on the controller.
2. Go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management.
3. Add a family member by scanning the QR code or entering their details manually.

Once verified, you can:

• Set playtime limits
• Restrict age-rated content
• Block chat and messaging
• Set monthly spending limits
• Approve or deny exception requests for games or features.

Xbox offers powerful tools to help you manage your child’s gaming experience. You can set screen time limits, control spending, filter content, and manage who they can play or chat with online.

Option 1: Use the Xbox Family Settings App

The Xbox Family Settings app lets you manage your child’s Xbox account in real time from your smartphone.

To get started:

1. Download the Xbox Family Settings app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
3. Create or link your child’s account to your family group.

What you can do in the app:

• Set screen time schedules and pause play instantly.
• Approve or deny friend requests.
• Manage spending with “Ask to Buy”, view balances, and add funds.
• Filter content by age rating.
• Control online communication and multiplayer access.
• View activity reports to see what your child is playing.

The app works with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PCs linked to your family group.

Nintendo Switch offers flexible parental controls to help you manage your child’s gaming experience. You can restrict content, set playtime limits, and control online interactions.

There are two ways to set parental controls

You can manage parental controls either:

Directly on the console, or
Using the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app (recommended for more features). 

Option 1: On the Console

1. From the Home screen, go to System Settings.
2. Scroll down and select Parental Controls.
3. Choose Parental Controls Settings.
4. Select Use This Console to set restrictions directly.
5. Create a PIN to prevent changes.

Note: These settings apply to the entire console, not individual users. Set restrictions based on the youngest player.

Amazon Fire tablets offer built-in parental controls and the Amazon Parent Dashboard, giving you flexible ways to manage your child’s screen time, content access, and app usage.

Option 1: Basic Parental Controls (Adult Profile)

These controls restrict access to shopping, downloads, and settings.

To enable:

1. Swipe down twice from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Select Parental Controls.
4. Toggle the switch to On.
5. Create and confirm a Parental Controls password (different from your lock screen password).
6. Tap Finish. A lock icon will appear at the top of the screen when controls are active.

Note: These controls do not block mature content in apps, games, or search results. For more advanced filtering, use Amazon Kids.

What you'll need: 

• A smartphone or tablet with the Alexa app installed.
• Your Amazon account.
• Your child’s name and birthdate.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Download and open the Alexa app

• Get it from the App Store or Google Play.
• Sign in with your Amazon account.

2. Plug in the Echo Dot Kids

• Wait for the light ring to turn orange.
• Follow the setup instructions in the Alexa app.

3. Add the device

• In the Alexa app, tap “Devices” at the bottom.
• Tap the plus sign and choose “Add Device”.
• Select Amazon Echo, then Echo Dot, then Echo Dot Kids Edition.

4. Enable Amazon Kids

• After setup, the app will ask if you want to turn on Amazon Kids.
• Tap “Yes” and follow the prompts.
• Create or select your child’s profile.
• You’ll be asked to give parental consent.

5. Set parental controls using the Parent Dashboard

• Go to parents.amazon.co.uk or download the Amazon Kids Parent Dashboard app.

Here you can:

• Set screen time limits.
• Filter content by age.
• Block explicit music.
• Disable voice purchasing.
• Review your child’s activity.

6. Adjust extra settings in the Alexa app

• To block explicit music, go to Settings, then Music & Podcasts, and turn on the Explicit Filter.
• To stop voice purchasing, go to Settings, then Account Settings, then Voice Purchasing, and turn it off.
• To allow or block kid-friendly skills, go to Settings, then Account Settings, then Kid Skills.

Additional tips

• Amazon Kids can also be used on regular Echo devices, not just the Kids Edition.
• Each Echo device can be linked to one child profile.
• You can create up to four child profiles per household.

In the UK, video games are rated using the PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) system. These age ratings help you decide if a game is suitable for your child. Ratings are based on the content in the game - not how hard it is to play. They range from PEGI 3 (suitable for all ages) to PEGI 18 (adults only).

Games may also show icons that explain why they got a certain rating. These include warnings for:

• Violence
• Bad language
• Sexual content
• Fear or horror
• Drugs or alcohol
• Gambling
• Discrimination
• In-game purchases (spending real money)

PEGI ratings do not cover online chat features, so it's important to check those separately.

You can find full details and search for specific games on the PEGI website or the Games Rating Authority website.

Many games let players chat using group or private messages. Some games allow you to turn this off or limit who your child can talk to.

These features can let strangers contact your child - especially in games where teamwork is part of the gameplay. Always check the game’s settings before your child plays.

We recommend:

• Turning off chat where possible
• Or limiting it to friends only

Each game is different, so check the game’s website for how to manage chat settings.

Talking regularly with your child about what they’re doing online helps keep them safe. Try playing the game with them or asking what they enjoy about it. This helps you understand how it works and who they’re talking to.

Many games let players buy extras like characters, outfits, weapons, or skills using real money.

Loot boxes are mystery packs with random items. They can be bought with money or earned by playing. Opening them often feels exciting - bright colours, sounds, and rare items are used to encourage more spending.

This can be worrying, as some young people may start chasing that same thrill in other ways, like gambling.

What can you do?

• Check the game’s age rating and content icons - they show if the game includes paid items or loot boxes.
• Use parental controls to turn off purchases or set spending limits.
• Talk to your child about what they’re buying and why.

Understanding how these features work helps you decide if a game is right for your child.

• AI is not a real person - it doesn’t have feelings or life experience.
• It gives answers based on patterns in data, not personal knowledge.
• Just because it sounds confident doesn’t mean it’s always right.

• Remind your child not to believe everything AI says.
• Help them check facts, especially for homework or health questions.
• Ask them: “Where did this information come from?” and “Does it make sense?”

• Make sure they use AI in safe places - like at home or school, with adult supervision.
• Explain that AI isn’t a friend or someone to talk to about personal problems.
• Encourage them to speak to you or another trusted adult if they’re upset or confused.

• Teach them never to share personal details like their name, address, school, or photos.
• Check the settings on any AI apps they use to limit data sharing.
• If something feels wrong, let them know they can always come to you.

• Ask your child what AI tools they’re using and what they do.
• Let them know it’s okay to ask you questions or share anything that makes them uncomfortable.
• Be open to learning about today’s digital world. It’s not the same as when you were growing up. Understanding it helps build trust with your child.

• Stick to AI tools recommended by their school or trusted websites.
• Avoid apps that ask for too much personal information or seem unsafe.
• Use child-friendly platforms whenever possible.

You might want to use this form if:

• There’s old or incorrect information about you online.
• You want to remove personal or sensitive details, like your home address or private photos.
• You were involved in something years ago that no longer reflects who you are today.

1. Go to Google’s official removal request form.
2. Fill in your name, country, and upload a copy of your ID.
3. List the web links (URLs) you want removed.
4. Explain why each link should be taken down.
5. Google will review your request and decide whether to remove the links from search results.

• The information is not deleted from the internet. It’s just hidden from Google searches using your name.
• Google will consider both your privacy and the public’s right to know. Not all requests are approved.