Best smartwatch for kids and privacy?

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Level 1

11 points

Best smartwatch for kids and privacy?

My 11-year-old granddaughter’s friends are mostly going to plug into smartwatches this fall. So I’m looking for advice to help her parents make a good selection so they can manage the stress of getting a watch and managing its settings for best security and privacy.

What they want is the obvious ability to reach their kid quickly, or have their kid reach them.

What her mom doesn’t want is access to the web on the phone. So, is the right approach using the Apple family setup to restrict use? Or something else?

Is using the Bark app a better way to reach the level of control her parents are looking for?

Posted on Jul 3, 2024 10:23 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 3, 2024 10:34 AM in response to tomGSowa

Did they already have a look at the option for setting up an Apple Watch for a family member, described in this article?

Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support

For an 11-year old, I would buy an Apple Watch SE, nothing more expensive and an Apple Care Plus plan, for the Apple Watch, just in case.

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Answer 2

Jul 9, 2024 9:27 AM in response to tomGSowa

Yes you as a parent can control some of the features on the Apple Watch of your child. Which only makes sense at the age of 11, especially if it comes to purchasing content from the AppStore, for example for games.

But you can not control the connected iPhone from this Apple Watch, and the restrictions set up are only effective for the Apple Watch of this Family member and do not restrict your settings on your iPhone.

Have a look at the "Manage a family member's Apple Watch after you set it up" in the Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support article.

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Answer 3

Jul 3, 2024 10:32 AM in response to tomGSowa

In my opinion, the best option to be able to reach kids but not have them be able to access things that parents don't want them to access is a basic phone. It can make calls and send texts and, if you get a really basic model, nothing else. They are also cheaper to replace than a several hundred-dollar smartwatch.

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Answer 4

tomGSowa Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 8, 2024 2:50 PM in response to tomGSowa

Thank you for those who replied. Another question has arisen.

I still have a little phobia about security on the SE Apple Watch. For instance, I found one review -- at Protect Young Eyes -- that found some instances of unsolicited messages being received on a kid’s Watch.

It says the general safety features limit text to contacts only. But there can still be weird messages getting through at times.

It noted the SE Watch they tested got quite a few spam inks, so this could be concerning. It did report, "However, there is a solution! Going into Screen Time settings, then into Messages, you can enable Message Filtering. "

That site ends up recommending the Gabb Watch 2 as a safer alternative.

However this might not be the ideal solution, as my grandchild would like to have (under strict time and contact controls) the option of texting with friends who also have iphones or an Apple Watch.

Anyone have further thoughts on the SE or the alternatives like the Grubb 2 watch?

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Answer 5

Jul 8, 2024 6:29 PM in response to tomGSowa

So, as one grandfather to another, how old is your grandson? Mine are now grown, but the youngest had a Series 1 Apple Watch and 10 years ago the technology and features were more limited than today.

I have great grandchildren now and an Apple Watch has limits on what you can restrict. You really need to determine the priorities and if Apple Watch can meet those goals safely.

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Answer 6

Jul 9, 2024 7:37 AM in response to Jeff Donald

Jeff Donald wrote:

So, as one grandfather to another, how old is your grandson? Mine are now grown, but the youngest had a Series 1 Apple Watch and 10 years ago the technology and features were more limited than today.

I'd always assumed you were in your forties..... ;-)

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Answer 7

tomGSowa Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 9, 2024 9:00 AM in response to Jeff Donald

11 years old. One other concern: Apple has the option of Watch Mirroring, which lets the host iPhone user (the parent) see what the Apple Watch is doing. But doesn’t that have to take over the whole iPhone? Nice if Watch Mirroring can be done in an app to look at from time to time.

Anyone know about Mirroring?

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