A couple of months ago we wondered what they were the security challenges tablets currently had to overcome. The controversy that Facebook has starred in in recent days has rekindled the debate about what the limits should be when large companies use the data of millions of users. However, this equation should not ignore another increasingly numerous group in the consumer electronics sector: children.
Today we are going to review the latest security measures focused on the smallest and we will also see what are the bets of some of the largest players in the sector to guarantee the protection of the youngest users while they use the terminals and surf the Internet. Will they be effective initiatives or will there still be a long way to go?
1. YouTube Kids
At the beginning of the week we told you that Google will improve this platform twin of the popular video channel to adapt it even more to children's audiences. Among the novelties that will be incorporated very soon we find a greater control in the process of selection of videos and content that this portal houses, which will now become the work of a team of people who will act as moderators. However, this is still pending improvement because users, or rather, parents, have reported the failure of the new filters.
2. Settings in the latest versions of Android
The green robot software is the most widely used in the world and that means that audiences of all ages have access to it. In the new versions, parental control features have been added or improved, such as the limitation of in-app purchases and the notification of the same if they are going to be carried out, block installation of applications on tablets and smartphones if they do not come from endorsed developers, and also, the creation of passwords and patterns on the devices themselves that restrict access.
3. The own bets of the manufacturers of tablets and smartphones
Software developers should not be the only ones who come up with solutions to ensure the safety of children and other users. Companies like Samsung have incorporated in many of their models, regardless of the format to which they belong, a «Kids Mode» which is based on controlling the access of the smallest to all the functions and applications of the terminal. In addition, this profile includes a series of tools installed as standard focused for them.
4. Specific terminals
Finally, we highlight the other fundamental pillar and that despite being in the background, is still very important: The creation of exclusive devices for children that from the first moment, guarantee a safe user experience. Among the strengths of these models, we find not only an increasingly varied offer, but also a series of physical characteristics such as greater resistance and adaptation to these users and also their link to environments such as education.
Do you think that all these measures, taken together, are effective? We leave you available related information such as a list of accessories of all kinds for tablets designed for children.