The online world can be a marvelous place for children to learn new things and expand their knowledge. However, it goes without saying that there’s no rose without thorns. The internet is riddled with harmful content, which is why online safety is a major concern for families. Thanks to parental control software like Bark and Kaspersky Safe Kids, parents can rest easy knowing that a digital guardian angel is keeping their children safe by restricting access to inappropriate content. Both tools include features like website and app blocking and screen time management. Nevertheless, fundamental differences emerge when they are compared side by side.
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Bark
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Kaspersky Safe Kids
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Brand/logo
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Visit brand site
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Read review
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Rating
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Profile limits
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Unlimited
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Unlimited
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Number of devices
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Unlimited
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500
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Content filter
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Website blocker
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Pornography blocker
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Schedule restriction
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Remote management
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Browser history
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Keystroke logger
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Permission requests
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Social media monitoring
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YouTube monitoring
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Uninstall protection
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Extra services
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n/a
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Antivirus, VPN
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Bark is a Georgia-based company that was founded in 2015, which has been protecting millions of children across the U.S. It uses artificial intelligence to crawl through your child’s data, while monitoring and identifying potential issues like cyberbullying, signs of depression, and more. When the app detects any concerns, it notifies parents immediately via text or email and advises on the best way to approach the matter.
The company’s monitoring capabilities outshine its competitors by a mile. It supports over 30 apps and social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, to name but a few. Bark’s AI analyzes audio files and extracts messages from images. And if that’s not impressive enough, the service lets parents filter web searches and block harmful websites. When managing screen time, it’s easy to set up time schedules that restrict access to specific websites and apps during particular hours of the day. Monitoring mobile devices is a breeze as the multiplatform app can be installed on an unlimited number of devices, including Chromebooks and Amazon Fire tablets. While there’s no dedicated app to monitor Windows or macOS, Bark offers a handy browser extension to keep an eye on search history even when incognito mode is in use.
Users have a choice between two plans that are both reasonably priced. The packages are available on a monthly or yearly basis, with annual subscriptions offering the most attractive discounts. The premium subscription comes with additional features like content monitoring and real-time alerts, and anyone can avail of Bark’s 7-day free trial to put it to the test.
Russia-based company Kaspersky was founded in 1997. It’s primarily focused on antivirus and cybersecurity, but the company offers other solutions such as the parental control software Kaspersky Safe Kids. This product handles website and app blocking very well. Parents can manually set up filtering lists that restrict access to specific websites. In addition, access to multiple apps can be limited based on the category. If a child attempts to visit any inappropriate websites or tries to access a restricted app, the service sends notifications to parents via email or the app. Moreover, expert child psychologists are available through Safe Kids to guide parents on the best way to discuss inappropriate content, not to mention that there’s a security feature that sends out alerts if a child attempts to uninstall the monitoring software.
Kaspersky Safe Kids coverage for social media platforms is not as extensive as other parental control software, as it only monitors content on Facebook and the Russian clone VKontakte. However, it does make managing screen time straightforward. Parents can set schedules and time limits for individual apps so children can enjoy some time away from the screens.
The Safe Kids app is universal and compatible with many devices. It works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, with the option to add up to 500 devices to a single account. A free version of Safe Kids is available, but it lacks certain features like screen-time scheduling and social media monitoring. There’s also a 7-day free trial of the premium version and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bark and Kaspersky Safe Kids are excellent parental control software, but each has its unique strengths. While Bark features AI that monitors content and social media activity, Safe Kids concentrates more on its website and app-blocking abilities. Both tools let parents set up time schedules, and they also notify parents when harmful content is detected. Bark and Safe Kids support mobile devices, but the latter stands out as it monitors computers running Windows and macOS.
Bark’s premium version is cheaper and offers features like extensive monitoring capabilities and real-time alerts. But while Bark requires a paid subscription to use its services, Kaspersky offers a free version of its monitoring software. If you can’t decide between the two, it’s best to take advantage of the free trials to see which solution works best for you.
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