Parent
What content can I block on my child's device?
By activating AgeBlock protection on your child's device you automatically
- set search engines (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo) in safe mode
- block over 4 million adult, pornographic and explicit sites
- block malicious and phishing domains
You can also optionally block certain websites, apps and services to help keep your child safer online.
- proxy and VPN domains that can be used to bypass filters
- mixed content websites (e.g. Reddit)
What social media and websites do you block?
AgeBlock is always updating the list of websites and apps that may be a cause for concern to parents. Our advice is from law enforcement and research and is designed to help make the internet a safer place for children.
Site | Age | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AskFM | 13 | Law enforcement suggest this app lets users ask anonymous questions and is known for cyberbullying |
| Badoo | 18 | A dating and social media app where users can chat and share photos and videos based on location. Police say the app is supposed to be for adults only but they have seen teens create accounts |
| Bumble | 18 | Similar to Tinder, but requires women to make first contact. Law enforcement says kids and teens can create false accounts and falsify their age |
| Discord | 13 | Police say this popular app has suffered from shady criminals, child groomers and racial slurs |
| Facebook* | 13 | Social and messaging platform where you can share photos and connect with friends |
| Grindr | 18 | A dating app geared toward the LGBTQ community based on user location |
| Hily | 18 | A dating app where users can browse photos, engage in chats, send private videos and more. Based on the GPS location of a mobile device, strangers can arrange to meet up locally |
| Holla | 18 | This self proclaimed "addicting" video chat app lets users meet people in seconds. Law enforcement suggest users have seen racial slurs and explicit content |
| Hot or Not | 18 | The app lets users rate profiles, check out people in their area and chat with strangers. Police say the goal of the app is to hook up |
| Houseparty* | 13 | Live video platform that has been reported for allowing inappropriate videos to be streamed causing a sexual offense |
| IMVU | 13 | 3D avatar game. Contains adult content |
| Instagram* | 13 | Messaging Platform that allows photo and video sharing with friends and family |
| Kik* | 13 | Police say children can bypass traditional text messaging features using this app. Kik "gives users unlimited access to anyone, anywhere, anytime". |
| Live.me* | 18 | A live streaming app that uses geolocation to share videos. Law enforcement suggest users can earn "coins" to "pay" minors for photos |
| MeetMe | 18 | A dating social app that connects people based on location. Users are encouraged to meet in person |
| MocoSpace | 18 | A free social networking and dating app. Users can connect with strangers worldwide via text messages or voice calls |
| Monkey | 17 | A live video chat app that connects users to random strangers worldwide, offering group chat and private message options. It claims to be rated for ages 12 and up but has mild sexual content and nudity |
| Omegle | 18 | Police have concerns with this app as it promotes chatting anonymously to strangers |
| Plenty O Fish | 18 | A popular free dating app and website that encourages chatting with strangers. It allows users to browse profiles based on location |
| Skout | 18 | A location based dating app that is supposed to prohibit people from under 17 from sharing private photos. However, police suggest accounts can easily be created with a different age |
| Snapchat | 13 | One of the most popular social media apps in the world. Snapchat lets users take and share photos and videos. The app also lets people see your location |
| Telegram* | 0 | A popular, encrypted messaging app |
| Tellonym | 16 | Anonymous messaging app. Potential for cyber bullying |
| TikTok* | 13 | A new popular app with kids lets users create and share short videos. Law enforcement suggest the app has "very limited privacy controls" and users can be exposed to cyberbullying and explicit content |
| Tinder | 18 | Adult dating and hook up site |
| Tumblr | 13 | Video and multimedia sharing platform. Contains adult content |
| Twitch | 13 | Live streaming for gamers which despite its popularity, like any "live" broadcast is naturally unpredictable. |
| 16 | A messaging app that allows texts, video calls, photo sharing and voicemails with users worldwide | |
| Whisper | 17 | An anonymous social network that lets users share secrets with strangers. Police say it also shows users' location so people can meet up |
| YouTube | 13 | Popular video platform for music and videos for all ages |
| YUBO | 12 | This app has been criticised for encouraging young users to swap texts and photos with nearby strangers |
| Zoosk | 18 | A location based dating app and website similar to many others. The app is available in 80 countries and utilises a "carousel" feature which matches users with random strangers |
| * Not all apps can be blocked if the child’s device is an iPhone / iPad. Please see our FAQ’s for details. | ||
How does AgeBlock work?
In order to set protection on your child's device you need to download the app to your child's device and your device as well. You then need to purchase a subscription for each device you wish to block.
After that you can pair your child's device by simply scanning a QR code from your device, or entering a digital code. You will be able to set different kinds of protection for your child and will receive notifications if your child tries to bypass AgeBlock.
Do I have to pay to use the app?
You can install the app for free, but you will need to pay for each child device you wish to block. The subscription costs £3.99 per device per year in the UK, €3.99 in the EU zones and $4.99 in the USA. It is available in over 53 countries with pricing set locally.
We offer a free 1-month trial period, risk-free, with no strings attached, so that you can try AgeBlock to decide whether it will satisfy your needs in protecting your children from unwanted content.
I've noticed a problem with the app. What should I do?
Please go to your AgeBlock account settings and send us a message describing the problem you're facing, along with your device model and operating system (OS) version. We are constantly working to improve our service and welcome all kinds of feedback.
Will I know if my child tries to bypass the block?
If your child deletes AgeBlock app from their device, you will receive a notification on your AgeBlock app.
We will also send you a notification if they tried to disable permission for AgeBlock to block services on their device (this can be done on Android child devices only; if your child has an iOS device, they will not be able to do this for technical reasons).
Please note that due to technical restrictions it may take up to 24 hours before you receive this notification.
How do I know whether my child tried to access a restricted service?
You won't. AgeBlock is
not
designed to be a 'tracking' application, it is designed to block sites and apps that you deem inappropriate.Can I view the app usage or browsing history of the child device?
No. We do not collect browsing
or app usage
information from your child's device, so we cannot provide it to you.
Do you track the viewing activity of the child device?
No. We do not collect browsing information from your child's device.
Can I prevent my child from deleting the app?
No, for a variety of reasons we do not want to block this activity from occurring. We do make it more difficult than normal for deletion to occur, but ultimately the app can be deleted. However, if the AgeBlock app is deleted from the 'child' device, then your device will receive a notification that AgeBlock was deleted. If you wish to re-install the app, the process is very quick - just download the app on the device (again) that needs blocking, and pair it to your device. In addition, there are settings in Apple that prevent an app from being deleted. Please see below:
- From the home screen of your iPhone, tap on Settings.
- On the Settings screen, scroll down and tap on Screen Time.
- On the Screen Time screen, tap on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- On the Content & Settings Restrictions screen, make sure the option for Content & Privacy Restrictionsis toggled ON and tap oniTunes & App Store Purchases.
- On the next screen, tap on Deleting Appsoption.
- On the Next screen, tap on Don’t Allowto prevent deleting of apps on your iPhone.
After this setting, your Kids or anyone else with temporary access to your device won’t be able to delete Apps, without changing the settings to “Allow” for Deleting of Apps.
Will I know if my child has deleted AgeBlock?
Yes. We will send you a notification telling you which child device was deleted. Please note that due to technical constraints it may take up to 24 hours before you receive this notification.
How many devices can I control?
You can control up to 10 child devices if you have an Android device, or 15 child devices if you have an iOS device.
How do I know that the app is blocking content appropriately?
When you log into your AgeBlock account you can see the health status of blocks on all child devices that are paired with your account. If a child device has 'Active' green status, it means that AgeBlock is running steadily.
If there are problems applying protection, or your child deleted the app, you will see a red 'Removed' status next to the device. You can then investigate whether your child has tried to remove the app or bypass the block. If you have any issues or concerns you can send us a message via the Feedback form in your account settings.
Please note that if your child has an iOS device, AgeBlock protection may not work appropriately due to technical restrictions. We are working on finding a solution to this issue and will fix this when it becomes possible.
I need to allow my child to access a restricted service for a certain period of time. How can I do that without removing the app?
There are several ways to do this:
- You can suspend AgeBlock on a child device for any period of time. The app will remain on your child's device but it will not block any website, app or service. Go to 'child settings' on your device and choose 'Suspend AgeBlock'. We will then ask you to set the period for which you want the suspension to be active.
- If your child has an Android device and you set a custom block for a certain service, you can easily revoke this protection so your child will be able to access this service. Unfortunately, we cannot provide this feature for iOS devices at the moment due to a number of technical restrictions.
- You can also change the strength of the general parent filter in order to allow or forbid proxies, VPNs and mixed content websites (like Reddit).
How can I make sure my child does not remove blocks if they borrow my smartphone?
Accessing your account will be protected by a PIN.
Please make sure you set a secure PIN that your child cannot guess and don't write it down anywhere your child might see it. You can also change your PIN in the app to make it more secure.
You can optionally set a fingerprint login if your device supports it, so it will be easier for you to log in again in the future. However, this is not a replacement for your regular PIN.
Please note that you will be able to restore your forgotten PIN via email, so make sure your email inbox is also protected.
I forgot my PIN. How can I log in again?
When you register, we require you to enter an email address that can be used for restoring forgotten passwords. You can request a temporary PIN to be sent to this address. You will then be able to use this temporary PIN to log into your account and set a new PIN that you will remember.
How did AgeBlock decide which custom sites to allow custom blocking on?
We constantly liaise with industry professionals and child protection charity groups to determine which websites and applications services may be used for inappropriate age-related activity. We then evaluate this list on an ongoing basis to allow parents to restrict access to a broad choice of services.
I would like to block a website or app that is not on your list. What can I do?
In your account settings you can provide feedback to us asking to add it to our list of websites and apps that can be blocked. Please also use this for all enquiries.
I have an idea to improve the app. Can I report this to you?
In your account settings you can provide feedback to us. Please use this for all enquiries.
Why can I block certain social media services on Android devices only?
There are a number of technical restrictions for iOS that do not allow us to implement the same protection functionality on Apple devices at the moment, without compromising app quality. We are working to further improve our services and will add this feature for Apple child devices when it becomes possible.
I want to rename one of the child devices. Can I?
Yes. You need to delete the app from the child device, re-install it as normal and choose the new name you would like as part of the process.
I need to re-install AgeBlock on the child device, how do I do this?
If your child removed AgeBlock from their device, you will be prompted to either remove this device completely or restore protection. If you choose to restore protection, you can pair this child device again without purchasing a new subscription.
I want to cancel using the service. How do I do this?
To cancel your subscription you need to go the Apple App Store, or Google Play Store and cancel your subscription there. We are unable to return any money once it has been paid to us by Apple and Google. You can cancel your subscription any time and you will continue to receive the benefit of AgeBlock until the renewal date (AgeBlock is paid for in advance).
I have lost my phone and now have a new replacement. How do I take control of my AgeBlock Controller account?
Install the AgeBlock application on your new device. If you used the same Apple or Google account to set up your new device then your subscriptions to AgeBlock will be valid on the new device. You will then need to pair the 'child' device with your new phone. To do this simply take the child device and select the "Pair to New Parent Device" option. confirm the action in the pop-up and supply the PIN from the parent device and finally select the Activation option.
Child
I want to use a certain website or application but it is blocked. Can I remove a block myself?
No. You need to ask your parent to change protection level or remove blocking entirely.
What happens with blocking if I just delete the app?
You will be able to access all services that were blocked, but please note we will notify your parents that you've deleted AgeBlock.