Block inappropriate websites by combining safe search, a suitable device or browser filter and the settings inside the apps your child uses. Test the arrangement in the child's account on every relevant device. Keep a clear way to ask for help, because no setting should be treated as a guarantee against every unwanted experience.
Start by identifying the devices and accounts in use. A shared computer, a tablet and a phone may each have different settings. Knowing where a rule applies is more useful than switching on several controls without checking their scope.
Why make a device and account list first?
Write down each device, its usual browser and the account your child uses. Include the main school services that need to remain accessible. A parent's account left open on a shared computer is a different situation from the child's own account.
Then define your aim. You may want a young child to use only a small set of chosen resources. With an older child, your priority may be particular content boundaries and a clear process for requesting a new site.
The list can be simple. Its purpose is to prevent a forgotten device or account from sitting outside your plan. Review it when a new tablet, browser or school service arrives.
Free tools or Atlas: what's the difference?
The free tools serve their supported environments: Family Link for Android, Screen Time for iPhone/iPad and Family Safety for Windows. Family Safety also supports Android, but cannot set iPhone screen time: if you choose each platform’s own tool, rules for an iPhone, Android tablet and Windows PC sit in three services. The table describes the child’s device, rather than the phone the parent uses to manage it.
| Comparison | Google Family Link (Android) | Apple Screen Time (iPhone/iPad) | Microsoft Family Safety (Windows) | Atlas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child devices for screen time management | Android and Chromebook | iPhone, iPad and Mac | Windows and Xbox; also Android | Windows, Android and iOS |
| One panel for iPhone + Android + Windows | No | No | No; no iPhone screen time limits | Yes, rules for computer, phone and tablet |
| Time boundaries | Daily limits on supported devices | Usage-time controls on Apple devices | Schedules for supported devices | Daily and day-specific game time in Protection |
A free tool may be enough for one device and simple rules. If you want shared rules across platforms and a connection between learning and play, consider the Atlas modules. Features depend on the module, so compare the needs your family actually has. Compare the modules on the pricing page.
Layer 1: what does safe search do?
Google's SafeSearch help distinguishes Filter, Blur and Off. Blur is not the same as filtering: some explicit text and links may remain visible. Check the actual choice rather than assuming a blurred image means everything has been blocked.
Open Google's SafeSearch settings to inspect the setting. If it is locked, the page explains who manages it. Understand the account or administrator involved before trying unrelated changes.
The important limitation is scope: SafeSearch works in Google Search. It does not control every directly entered address or the feed inside another app. Treat it as one layer in a broader arrangement.
Layer 2: which device or browser filter fits?
Choose tools that match the child's device. The starting guides are Android parental controls, iPhone parental controls and Windows parental controls. Read what each setting covers before relying on it.
Google documents website permissions and restrictions for supervised accounts in Chrome, with limitations depending on the device. Microsoft's web filtering help describes the Edge requirement. The browser your child actually opens therefore matters alongside the account name.
A list of approved sites and an automatic attempt to filter explicit sites are different approaches. Choose one that fits your child's current needs. Also agree what happens when a legitimate new school resource needs permission.
Layer 3: what about content inside apps?
Blocking a website is different from evaluating everything shared inside an app. Review the app's own content, privacy and contact settings. Do not assume a device filter supervises every conversation or recommendation.
Begin with the app used most often. Look together at who can interact with the account and where reporting options are found. Explain why you choose an option, rather than making the change silently.
For video platforms, see YouTube and TikTok safety settings. A familiar app name does not tell you whether every activity inside it meets your family agreement.
Is a home-network setting enough?
A rule applied to one network should not be assumed to follow a device onto another connection. Consider what happens when the phone uses mobile data or the child visits another household. Check the manufacturer's official help before attempting router-specific configuration.
Keep your family agreement broader than a single connection. Your child should know whom to ask when a new resource or an uncomfortable situation appears. A simple help-seeking rule remains understandable outside your home.
Avoid turning every possible situation into a complicated menu plan. Start with everyday use and check which setting applies where. Add complexity only when it addresses an identified need.
How can the approach change with age?
The table offers discussion points, not rigid thresholds. Adapt it to your child's experience and the resources the school actually uses.
| Stage | Family approach | Practise together |
|---|---|---|
| Early primary school | A small set of familiar resources | Open the agreed activity with an adult |
| Later primary school | A clear route for new-site requests | Explain why an address is needed |
| Early secondary school | More responsibility with review | Assess, close and ask for help when needed |
In Flanders, ask the school which services are required for lager onderwijs or secundair onderwijs. Another school's list may not match your child's tasks. Use the actual assignment rather than a general list copied from another family.
What if a filter blocks schoolwork?
Find the exact point of failure. Does the homepage fail, does a video not load, or can the child not submit a file? Removing every restriction before identifying the issue makes the setup harder to restore.
For example, Emma might read an assignment successfully but be unable to upload her work. Test the submission step together. After making an appropriate exception, check the complete task, rather than stopping at the first page.
When contacting the teacher, describe the step that fails. A precise question about a required service is easier to answer than “the internet is blocked”. Share only the information needed to clarify access.
How should you explain filtering to your child?
Say what you are restricting and what you are not reviewing. Your child should not have to guess why an app or site is unavailable. Make the route for a reasonable request clear.
Support the message that asking for help is welcome. Listen before deciding what needs to change. If every disclosure leads immediately to losing access, the child may find future conversations harder.
Talk about positive activities too. Ask to see something your child made or enjoyed. Digital life should be discussable when things are going well, rather than only when a block appears.
How can you keep exceptions manageable?
Make an exception specific to the need you have identified. Note why it was added and whether it is still required after the assignment. This prevents a growing collection of permissions that nobody understands later.
If several adults manage devices, agree who responds to requests. A child should not receive contradictory decisions because each parent sees only part of the setup. Discuss recurring requests at a calm moment.
New access can be a practice opportunity. Ask what your child expects to do and how they will know when the task is complete. The aim is to build judgement alongside the technical boundary.
A final setup checklist
Test in the child's own account. The result in an adult account may be different. You can verify legitimate school tasks and review the settings without searching for upsetting material as a test.
- Have you listed the devices and accounts?
- Is safe search distinguished from website filtering?
- Is the actual browser within the tool's scope?
- Can required schoolwork be completed?
- Is the request process understandable?
- Does your child know which adult can help?
Repeat the checklist when a device, account or required service changes. A small review keeps the arrangement connected to real use. Keep the conversation open as your child becomes ready for more responsibility.
Frequently asked questions
Where should website blocking start?
Combine safe search, a suitable device or browser filter and the settings inside apps. Test the result on each device your child actually uses.
Does SafeSearch filter the whole internet?
No. It affects Google search results, rather than every website, search engine or app.
What if a school website is blocked?
Check the exact address and task. Where appropriate, allow the necessary service and test the entire task again.
What should my child do after seeing upsetting content?
Close it and speak to a trusted adult. Listen calmly first, then consider the relevant reporting route and settings together.
How Atlas helps
Atlas blocks adult and gambling sites in its basic protection. You choose allowed, timed or blocked app and website rules. It supports Windows, Android and iOS, with rules managed together for computer, phone and tablet. This helps you follow one family agreement across different devices.
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