Protect Your Kid’s Childhood Without Having To Be The Bad Guy With Bark
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Shocking study reveals:
42.4% of 12-year-old females have 1+ risky contacts while X, and Reddit are among the top apps for severe explicit content.
Are you tired of constantly worrying about your children’s online activities and the potential dangers lurking on the internet?
Do you struggle with managing screen time to help your kids learn how to concentrate on something other than a screen and develop healthy habits and hobbies?
Are you frustrated with how difficult it is to ensure their safety online without feeling like you’re reading every conversation or webpage they’ve visited?
You’re not alone in this struggle.
No matter how diligent you are, it’s impossible to monitor 1000s of messages, webpages or videos they’re exposed to every week on your own and something will always slip through the cracks.
The digital world is filled with dangers, from cyberbullying to explicit content, and can force you to become overprotective, damaging the trust and bond you share with your kids.
Fortunately, there is a parental control app that is revolutionizing the way parents protect their kids online and tries to strike a balance between allowing kids to explore the internet and ensuring their safety.
The Bark Parental Control App has consistently impressed parents and experts alike, with many praising it as their ultimate tool for achieving peace of mind and protecting their children from harm.
So, what exactly is Bark, how does it work, what does it even do, which options are available and is it really the best parental control app on the market?
In this article, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about Bark before you trust them with your child’s safety online.
So, let’s dive in.
What is Bark Parental Control?
Bark Parental Controls is a digital safety software platform specifically designed to help parents monitor, manage, and protect their children’s online activities on different devices.
It provides various features to ensure kids are safe while using the internet and mobile applications.
You can choose between the The Bark Kids app which can be downloaded directly onto your child’s phone and works on multiple devices including iOS, Android, Fire Tablets and Chromebooks or a Bark Phone which has advanced content monitoring built-in.
Bark also offers an internet safety monitor which can connect to your internet router at home.
It can manage the internet across all of your home devices including gaming consoles, smart TVs, laptops, tablets, phones and more at the same time.
How does Bark work?
Bark monitors your child’s texts, email, YouTube, and over 30 apps and social media platforms for issues like cyberbullying, adult content, sexual predators, profanity, suicidal ideation, threats of violence, and more.
Parents receive text or email alerts only when something potentially problematic occurs online.
Bark allows you to block specific apps and websites, or even whole categories like sexual content, gaming, advertisements, social media or streaming platforms.
For every child and device you can set custom rules or pause the internet entirely from your own device.
Barks monitoring app runs in the background automatically, so once you choose your settings, you can rest easy knowing that your child’s online activities are being monitored without constant oversight.
This seamless integration allows you to focus on other important aspects of parenting while Bark takes care of keeping your child safe online.
Your child will be aware that Bark is installed on their device. Transparency is an important aspect of their approach and they encourage open communication between parents and children about online safety.
What does Bark Do?
Bark Parental Control software offers a wide range of benefits designed to help parents protect their children online while promoting healthy digital habits and maintaining privacy. Here are the key features and benefits of Bark:
1. Content Monitoring:
Social Media Monitoring: Bark monitors over 30 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, for signs of cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and potential online predators.
Text Message and Email Monitoring: Bark monitors texts and emails for harmful interactions ensuring that kids are protected across all communication channels.
2. Screen Time Management:
Usage Limits: Parents can set a daily screen time limit for different devices and specific apps, promoting balanced screen time habits.
Scheduled App Blocking: Restrict access during certain times of the day (e.g., bedtime, homework time), helping kids focus on other important activities.
Pause the Device: You can remotely pause your child’s device through the parent dashboard if you need to take immediate action to limit their screen time.
3. Web Filtering and Safe Browsing:
Website Blocking: Bark allows parents to block specific websites or categories of websites (e.g., adult, gambling, violence) to protect young eyes from harmful content.
Safe Search: Ensures that search engines filter out explicit content, providing a safer browsing experience.
4. Automatic Alerts:
Immediate Notifications: Parents receive automatic alerts when potential issues are detected such as suicidal ideation, allowing them to intervene quickly and appropriately.
Detailed Context: You’ll receive an alert including detailed information about the context of the issue, along with expert recommendations from child psychologists for addressing them helping you understand and address the situation effectively.
5. Location Tracking:
Real-Time Location: You can track your child’s location in real-time, providing peace of mind about their safety.
Check-Ins: Children can check in with their current location, reassuring you that they have arrived safely at their destination.
6. Contact Management:
Approve/Deny Contacts: You can control who your child can communicate with by approving or denying specific contacts.
Prevent Deleting Texts: You can choose whether or not your child can delete text messages, ensuring you have a complete view of their conversations.
Emergency Contacts: Ensure your child can always reach you or other designated contacts, even when the device is paused or apps are blocked.
7. Activity Reports:
Weekly Reports: Parents can access regular activity reports about your childs device in Bark’s parent dashboard providing an overview of your child’s screen use over a period of time.
This includes details such as newly installed apps, primary contacts, and more.
What are the benefits of Bark?
Bark offers several key benefits to both kids and parents that make it an essential tool for maintaining a safe and healthy digital environment for children.
By integrating advanced technology with a focus on privacy and ease of use, Bark empowers parents to stay informed and proactive about their children’s online activities without being overly intrusive.
This balance of protection, privacy, and practicality makes Bark an invaluable ally for modern parents navigating the complexities of digital parenting.
Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits that Bark brings to you and your child’s life:
1. Promotes Healthy Digital Habits:
We all know how easy it is for kids to get sucked into their devices, sometimes spending hours on end scrolling through apps or playing games.
Bark helps parents manage this by allowing them to set time limits on specific apps. This isn’t just about cutting down screen time for the sake of it; it’s about encouraging kids to step away from their screens and engage in other activities.
Whether it’s reading a book, playing outside, or spending time with family, these offline activities are crucial for their overall development and well-being.
2. Respects Privacy:
Instead of giving parents access to every single detail of their child’s online activity, Bark zeroes in on potential dangers like cyberbullying, explicit content, and online predators.
This means parents get alerts about important issues without invading their child’s personal space. It’s a delicate balance—keeping kids safe while also allowing them the freedom to explore and learn online.
Bark provides a trustworthy solution that respects the privacy of both parents and children, ensuring that all monitored data is securely encrypted.
3. Easy to Use:
One of the best things about Bark is how easy it is to use. The app has a user-friendly interface that makes setup and navigation a breeze, even for those who aren’t particularly tech-savvy.
Another fantastic feature is Bark’s remote management. Parents can adjust settings, manage screen time, and block websites on the child’s device all from their own phone, no matter where they are.
Whether you’re at work, on the go, or just in another room, you can easily oversee your child’s online activities and make adjustments as needed.
4. Support and Resources:
Bark offers a wealth of resources and advice on how to talk to your kids about online safety and digital well-being.
These resources can be incredibly helpful for parents who may not know where to start when it comes to discussing these important topics with their children.
Additionally, Bark’s customer support is there if you need help setting up the app, troubleshooting a problem, or just have a question about how a feature works.
How do you choose a Bark product?
To choose the correct Bark product for you, consider your family’s specific needs, the features offered by each product, and your budget. Here’s a breakdown of each product to help you choose:
Bark App
When you download the Bark App you will have a choice of two subscriptions which you can join; Bark Jr or Bark Premium.
Bark Jr is focused on screen time management, web filtering, and location tracking.
Bark Jr does not include social media monitoring or email/text message monitoring, making it a good choice for younger children who are not yet active on social media.
Bark Premium offers monitoring of texts, emails, social media, and web browsing, along with screen time management, web filtering, and location tracking.
It provides an automatic alert system and detailed reports, making it suitable for families seeking robust digital safety.
Bark Home
Bark Home is a hardware device that extends Bark’s parental control capabilities on your home network.
It’s designed to help you manage your children’s online activities across all devices connected to the home Wi-Fi, even those that Bark technologies can’t typically monitor directly.
Bark Home even allows you to create rules you can customize for each child, device and day of the week.
Bark Phone
The Bark Phone is a mobile phone specifically designed for kids with Bark’s advanced monitoring and parental control features installed directly into the device.
There’s no hefty deposit or long-term contract required, and after 90 days, the phone is yours to keep.
Bark uses a Samsung A series device with all of the monitoring features already built in as soon as you take it out of the box.
It’s tailored to provide a safe mobile experience for kids while giving parents peace of mind. The Bark phone comes for free when you subscribe to one of their data plans.
Bark offers a range of phone subscription plans designed to provide comprehensive safety and monitoring for your child’s digital activities.
Each plan includes unlimited talk and text, various levels of data, and robust parental controls to ensure your child’s online safety.
Whether you have a younger child needing basic protection or an older child requiring more advanced monitoring, Bark has a plan to fit your needs.
Here’s a comparison of Bark’s available phone plans to help you choose the best option:
| Starter Plan |
|---|
| $39 USD /month |
| Unlimited talk + text |
| No Data |
| Good for younger kids |
| No apps, no browser, no social media |
| Advanced Plan 1 |
|---|
| $49 USD /month |
| Unlimited talk + text |
| Wi-Fi only |
| Good for older kids |
| App, browser & social media controls |
| Advanced Plan 2 |
|---|
| $59 USD /month |
| Unlimited talk + text |
| 4 GB/month |
| Good for older kids |
| App, browser & social media controls |
| Advanced Plan 3 |
|---|
| $69 USD /month |
| Unlimited talk + text |
| 8 GB/month |
| Good for older kids + teenagers |
| App, browser & social media controls |
| Advanced Plan 4 |
|---|
| $89 USD /month |
| Unlimited talk + text |
| Unlimited |
| Good for older kids + teenagers |
| App, browser & social media controls |
Here’s what else we love about Bark
As Featured In
Bark has already become a family favorite, and it’s easy to see why! Parents are finally catching on to the benefits of having their child’s digital safety right at their fingertips WITHOUT needing constant supervision!
It’s trusted by families across the country and has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, and The New York Times.
It’s so user-friendly and effective, there’s really no reason not to order your Bark subscription right now! This is especially true since there’s ABSOLUTELY NO RISK to give Bark a try.
What’s amazing about Bark is that they stand behind their product! Don’t love it? Cancel anytime with no hassle. (But you won’t want to!)
There’s nothing on the market that helps monitor and protect kids online this effortlessly until now, and it’s giving parents peace of mind like never before!
Just check out some of the reviews from parents who’ve tried it!
“I’ve been an app customer since 2016. Wonderful, responsive, helpful company. I recently purchased the Bark Phone and it truly is the best first phone for kids. It was hard to not go with an old Apple phone, but I chose safety and I don’t regret it.”—BJ, USA ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I recently purchased the Bark Phone for my child, and I couldn’t be more impressed. This phone truly lives up to its promise of being the safest phone for kids. The parental controls are robust and easy to use, allowing me to monitor my child’s activities without invading their privacy. I love the comprehensive content filtering and real-time alerts for potential issues like cyberbullying and inappropriate content.”—Samantha Pavlofsky, USA ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I like to give my teenagers freedom but I still am allowed to be flagged for anything inappropriate or concerning that they’re talking about in those social media applications and in their messages so then I can have a conversation with them about maybe why that was inappropriate or how they’re feeling about things so they can have proper interactions in the future.”—Sarah K, USA ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We looked into several options for our daughter’s first phone and chose the Bark Phone since a few friends recommended it and we have been very happy with it! I found setup to be simple and there are useful guides. We use the starter plan for now and the safety/monitoring tools are fantastic. The phone is pretty locked down, which is what we wanted but it looks like a normal phone so our daughter has enjoyed having a phone like her friends. I definitely recommend it!”—Steph, UK ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I just want to get on here and say PLEASE get Bark online monitoring. Yesterday it saved our family. Out of respect for our son’s privacy I won’t go into details. But I will say this: (1) we are a family who talks about EVERYTHING on the daily, I literally run a non-profit about kids and mental health… (2) he is an AMAZING, thoughtful, kind, sweet person and (3) he almost got into a situation that would have haunted him for the rest of his life. You need the open communication AND Bark to battle modern childhood.“—Cindy R, Australia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“After spending hours researching the best first phone for my 12 year old i decided to order the Bark phone. It has all of the Bark features I know and love already (been a Bark customer for years, we had Bark set up on our family tablet) baked into it. Plus, set up was so easy! I was able to contact Bark support for some help along the way. Once I completed set up I felt confident handing my tween this phone.“—Adam Freedman, USA ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐