Family Link, Google’s parental control app, is getting a new feature called School Time that lets parents lock their children’s smartphones during school hours.
The use of smartphones in schools is at the center of public debate, because it distracts children from their learning and promotes bullying. However, young people are owning a smartphone at an increasingly early age. According to a study by the Junior City firm published in 2021, more than half of schoolchildren aged 7 to 14 (55%) own a mobile phone… Even if their use in class, and more generally within schools, is in principle prohibited, most students cannot help but consult them during lessons, by hiding them discreetly under their table, in the pocket of their sweatshirt or in their pencil case.
So, in an attempt to curb the problem and divert students from this source of distraction, Google is going to update Family Link, its mobile parental control tool. In addition to its usual functions – content restriction, screen time limits, app approvals, etc. – the application will welcome a new option, called School Time, as the company announces in a blog postThis should please parents and teachers alike!
Google School Time: Combating Distraction in the Classroom
The School Time feature allows for enhanced parental control. Parents can lock their children’s smartphones during certain hours of the day. When students pick up their devices, they will see a simple black screen indicating that School Time is active. A button grafted to the center of the screen will nevertheless allow them to access applications authorized by their parents. They will also be able to restrict the use of calls and SMS, or select specific contacts that their children can call or contact by message.
This option has already been rolled out to Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatches. It will be launched later this year on “some Android phones, tablets, and Samsung Galaxy watches” without however giving more details on the devices concerned. The objective for Google is to promote “a productive learning environment”. An excellent initiative!