When we hand our most valuable resource an Internet capable mobile device it should be protected so they cannot get into trouble. It’s not that they are looking for trouble, but on a raw Internet trouble WILL find them.
If you’ve ever tried to use any of the mobile solutions available over the last few years you know that they do not work, but usually you don’t find this out until after investing valuable money and time trying to make it work. They say all the right things, but rarely deliver.
The good news is that today the technology to produce a truly safe mobile device does exist, but it’s not as simple as installing an app. I’m going to show you exactly what needs to be protected on a mobile device so that when you shop for solution you’ll know what to look for.
This guide will show you:
- What threat vectors on a mobile device should be addressed (from a parents perspective).
- How to protect each threat vector.
The three Parental Control threat vectors on a mobile device:
- The Internet (critical)
- Obviously the big one, and by far the most difficult to get right. Producing a high quality family safe Internet is a constant job and this is where most others fail.
- The App Store (critical)
- Some apps contain pornography, or are designed to facilitate hacking, or they bypassing of Internet filters. Therefor, approval to install apps should be enabled.
- Time Limits / Location tracking (optional)
- The ability to control when the Internet works, and see where the device is.
Each threat vector requires different techniques to properly secure for each platform (iOS / Android ) so, we need to layer on the security. Each device is a little different, and each layer can be by different providers so you can shop around for the best solutions for you.
Kibosh has solved threat vector 1 with our Mobile VPN which ensures the Internet – over Wi-Fi and Cellular – will always be Kibosh Family Safe.
You can then add additional tools to address threat vectors 2 & 3 on top of the vector 1 solution (in this case Kibosh).
Example scenario: you’re setting up an Android phone to give to your young son.
- Threat Vector 1: Install Kibosh VPN – at this point the Internet is fully protected from pornography and malware (the exact same quality Internet as produced by the Kibosh Router).
- Threat Vector 2: Install SmartApp Lock and configure per the guide included with Kibosh VPN purchase:
- During SmartApp Lock setup you can:
- Turn off Kibosh VPN
- Require approval to install apps
- Set time limits
- During SmartApp Lock setup you can:
- Threat Vector 3: Install a location monitor like Life360.
The end result is an Android device that cannot be used either directly or indirectly for accessing objectionable content in any form. It is now a very family safe mobile device – in my experience the most family safe mobile device available today.
NOTE: an important aspect to any security solution is riding that line of convenience. What we do not want, as busy Parents / Administrators, is another point of annoyance and frustration in our lives, like a child’s mobile device that constantly needs attention. The avoidance of annoyance is an oversight in most security solutions, but something Kibosh strives to avoid (because any solution that requires constant effort to maintain is doomed to failure). If however, you follow the above guide the end result is a mostly hands-off solution that you can trust it. Once the Kibosh VPN is locked into place (i.e. it cannot be turned off) the Internet will ALWAYS be Kibosh family Safe. If the user cannot turn this off or bypass it, you’ve done your job.
Q: Which device can be made the safest, iOS or Android?
A: Android because you can lock the Kibosh VPN in place thus ensuring that no matter what they do the Internet will always be clean, and we can lock down access to app store. Apple puts narrow limits on what anyone can do in regards to parental controls.
