Making Google Chrome Safe for Kids

[nerdslife_team]

Kids and the internet—it’s a combo that needs careful management, right? With so much online, it’s tricky to keep them away from stuff they shouldn’t see. Luckily, Google Chrome has some helpful options to make things safer. Here’s how you can tweak settings and use tools to create a more kid-friendly browsing space.

Method 1: Family Link for Managed Browsing

If your kids use an Android device or a Chromebook, Google’s Family Link app is your best bet for creating a safe Chrome experience. It lets you set restrictions specifically for Chrome on these devices. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with iOS or desktop computers.

First, you’ll need to download the Family Link app on your Android or iPhone. Find it in the Play Store or App Store, or head to the Google Family website. Once installed, you’ll need to add your child’s Google account. If they’re already in your family group, skip ahead a bit.

After you’ve downloaded the app, sign in with your Google account.

Next, if your child has a Google account, tap ‘Yes’; otherwise, tap ‘No’.

If you tapped ‘Yes’, you’ll need their device for the following steps.

On a Chromebook:

1. Open the Settings app and click on ‘People’.
2. Click ‘Parental Controls’ and follow the instructions.
   
   

On an Android device:

1. Open Settings and tap ‘Google’.
   
   
2. Tap ‘Parental Controls’.
   
   
3. Tap ‘Child or Teenager’ on the device user selection screen.
   
   
4. Tap ‘Next’ to continue.
   
   
5. Enter your Google account details (email and password) when prompted.
   
   

You may be asked to verify your identity with a credit card, but don’t worry, it’s free.

6. Agree to the terms and conditions.
   
   
7. Enter your child’s account password to finalize setup.
   
   

After that, jump back to the Family Link app on your phone and hit ‘Done’.

If you chose ‘No’ earlier, you’ll need to create a Google account for your child. Here’s how:

1. Enter your child’s name and hit ‘Next’.
   
   
2. Enter their birthdate and gender, then ‘Next’.
   
   
3. Make an email address and password for your kid’s new Google account.
4. Type your Google account details to authorize it.
   
   
5. Agree to the terms and conditions.
   
   
   
   Your child’s account is set up and linked! Sign in on their device with this new account to start managing their online world.

Managing Your Child’s Chrome Activity

Now that you’ve added your child to Family Link, let’s tweak their Chrome experience:

1. Open the Family Link app and pick your child if you have more than one profile.
2. Go to the ‘Controls’ tab at the bottom.
   
   
3. Select ‘Content Restrictions’.
   
   
4. Choose ‘Google Chrome’.
   
   

You can now decide the best browsing settings for your child.

Choose ‘Allow all sites’ to let them visit any site except the ones you block. ‘Try to block explicit sites’ uses Chrome’s filters to block mature content. ‘Only allow approved sites’ restricts browsing only to sites you specifically allow.

Adding or Blocking Websites

To manually allow or block specific websites:

1. Under ‘Manage sites,’ tap ‘Approved sites’ or ‘Blocked sites’.
   
   
2. Tap ‘Add a Website’.
   
   
3. Type the full website URL, then hit ‘Save’.
   
   

If a website is blocked, your child can request access, which you can then approve or deny from the app.

Remember, blocking a URL blocks only that exact URL. Blocking ‘www.google.com’ won’t block ‘www.google.co.uk’. To block all sites under one domain, just enter the domain name like ‘google’.

Managing Website Permissions

Family Link also lets you control website permissions for location, camera, etc:

1. In the Chrome settings within Family Link, tap ‘Advanced Settings’.
   
   
2. Turn off the ‘Permissions for sites, apps, and extensions’ option.
   
   
   
   This prevents your child from granting new permissions to websites, but existing permissions will stay active.

Method 2: SafeSearch for Search Filtering

If your child is on Chrome using an iOS device or desktop, you can use SafeSearch to help filter out mature content in their search results.

1. Visit google.com/preferences and log in to your child’s Google account, if prompted.
2. Check the ‘Turn on SafeSearch’ box and click ‘Save’.
   
   

With SafeSearch, explicit results won’t show up in Google searches.

Note that SafeSearch only affects Google search results, not direct website access. To block sites on desktop Chrome, an extension like BlockSite could help. For iOS, use Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time to block sites, which works for all browsers, including Chrome. Check out this guide on blocking websites on iPhone.

By setting up Chrome and using parental control tools, you can create a safer online space for your kids, reducing their chances of seeing inappropriate content.