Your child spends more time on their phone than you’d like, and after some research, you decide to install a parental control app. You block inappropriate apps, keep an eye on what your child is viewing, and set limits. And while you’re at it, maybe it’s also convenient to be able to track your child’s location sometimes. Handy, right? Below, we outline five disadvantages of parental control apps and why as a parent, you might want to think twice before installing such an app.
What does a parental control app do?
A parental control app offers various features to help parents manage and monitor their children's online behavior. With these apps, parents can often set which apps their children can use, how long they can spend on their phones, which websites they can visit, and who they can communicate with. Additionally, many of these apps also provide the ability to track the child's location and receive alerts if the child engages in certain activities, such as downloading new apps.
What are the disadvantages of parental control apps?
1. Privacy breaches and data leaks
If a parental control app offers more monitoring options, it likely means that more data is being collected about your child. Many parental control apps gather sensitive information about children's online behavior, such as the websites they visit, the apps they use, and even their location. This can lead to serious privacy problems, especially if this data falls into the wrong hands. Research has shown [1] Ali, S., Elgharabawy, M., Duchaussoy, Q., Mannan, M., & Youssef, A. (2020). Betrayed by the Guardian: Security and Privacy Risks of Parental Control Solutions. Annual Computer Security Applications Conference Link đź”— that parental control apps often do not handle data responsibly. Therefore, be aware of the risks of a parental control app that allows extensive monitoring and control.
2. Problematic behavior due to excessive control
Excessive parental control can have adverse effects. The high level of control provided to parents by parental control apps can lead to problematic behavior in children.[ 2 Kapetanovic, S., Bohlin, M., Skoog, T., & Gerdner, A. (2017). Structural relations between sources of parental knowledge, feelings of being overly controlled and risk behaviors in early adolescence. Journal of Family Studies, 1–17.Link 🔗 , 3 Melotti, G., Potì, S., Gianesini, G., & Brighi, A. (2017). Adolescents at Risk of Delinquency. The Role of Parental Control, Trust, and Disclosure. Deviant Behavior, 39(3), 347–362.Link 🔗 ].Research indicates that this is exacerbated when there is also a lack of trust and communication. To escape the strong control of parents, children may exhibit patterns of disobedience and problematic behavior. This becomes more apparent as children move towards adolescence.
3. Lack of development of autonomy and self-regulation
It is important for children to gradually learn to fend for themselves and to rely on their own judgment. This development can be hindered by the use of parental control apps.[ 4 Wisniewski, P., Ghosh, A. K., Xu, H., Rosson, M. B., & Carroll, J. M. (2017, February). Parental control vs. teen self-regulation: Is there a middle ground for mobile online safety?. In Proceedings of the 2017 ACM conference on computer supported cooperative work and social computing (pp. 51-69).Link đź”— ]Many parental control apps utilize highly restrictive and controlling functionalities, giving parents insight into every aspect of their child's digital life. The use of these apps can lead children to feel constantly monitored and have little room to become independent.
4. Breach of trust
The use of parental control apps can lead to a breach of trust between parents and children.[ 5 "Safety and Surveillance Software Practices as a Parent in the Digital World".Link đź”— ].Children may feel that their parents do not trust them, and on the other hand, parents may not fully learn to trust their children. This can damage the parent-child relationship. This breach of trust may not only occur between parent and child. Children learn that it is 'normal' to monitor people and may also find it harder to trust others.
5. Not focusing on parents
An important aspect often overlooked when using parental control apps is the lack of focus on the role and behavior of parents themselves. Research indicates that parental behavior, such as excessive use of mobile phones in the presence of their children, can directly influence problematic mobile phone use in these children[ 6 Niu, G., Yao, L., Wu, L., Tian, Y., Xu, L., & Sun, X. (2020). Parents’ phubbing and adolescents’ mobile phone addiction: The role of parent-child relationship and self-control. Children and Youth Services Review, 105247.Link 🔗 ].This behavior can convey the idea that excessive phone use is normal and acceptable, making children more likely to exhibit similar behavior. Therefore, it is important to make parents aware of their own smartphone usage as well.
Should I use a parental control app?
While parental control apps can be useful as part of parenting, it's important to be aware of the drawbacks of these apps. For a healthy parent-child relationship and the child's self-development, it's essential to find a balance between protecting children and respecting their privacy and autonomy. If you decide to use a parental control app, be critical when choosing one. Don't immediately opt for an app that gives complete control over your child's phone, but ask yourself if you really need certain features.
