# Parents can set safer phone limits as children go online 2026-08-06T22:00:26+00:00 | Technology | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A phone-free childhood is difficult for many families as schools, teachers, friends and emergency contacts increasingly rely on smartphones. The Hindu recommends age-based safeguards, including screenless phones for children aged 2 to 6 and built-in parental controls for older children. These settings can limit usage, block unsuitable apps and websites, restrict downloads and purchases, and stop notifications during school hours or after bedtime. Google Family Link lets parents manage screen time, app permissions, bedtime locks and safe-search settings remotely. It can also show device locations and battery levels, but does not provide access to private messages. The Hindu reports complaints about slow updates and weak cross-platform support. It also warns that monitoring can become excessive control, especially for older teenagers. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: children, Google Family Link, parental controls, screen time, smartphones Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/parents-can-set-safer-phone-limits-as-children-go-online/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/parents-can-set-safer-phone-limits-as-children-go-online/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.