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Text messaging lockdown

Texting isn't one app. iMessage, SMS, RCS, and other chat apps take different paths. The strongest built-in lock is approved contacts only: Allowed Contacts on iPhone, and Family Link's Contacts, calls & text on Android (Google Messages). Carrier controls see SMS/MMS, sometimes RCS, usually not Wi-Fi, and never iMessage. No built-in iPhone or Android tool lets you read the messages. Prices are what each company's page showed on Sep 30, 2026. The two lists are age 10 and age 15, because some controls differ under 13 and at 13–17.

Age 10

Open this as a checklist

Text messaging

iPhone: Apple's newest parental controls need iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 on every device in the Family Sharing group. If you can't update every device, Apple says you can keep the previous Screen Time version (the contact control is called Communication Limits) or adjust parental controls on the child's device. Android: Family Link contact limits need Android 14+ phones or Wear OS 5+ watches, and on phones they work in Google Messages. Samsung Messages was discontinued in the US on Android 12+ Galaxy phones as of July 6, 2026. In the EU only, iPhones can set a different default app for SMS/RCS.

What this can't do: no built-in iPhone or Android tool lets parents read texts. Only third-party monitoring apps or some kid phones can, and on iPhone only with extra hardware or a computer. Carrier tools don't see iMessage or internet chat apps, and often stop working on Wi-Fi. Apple doesn't document a switch that turns SMS off, or a way to lock iMessage off (that lock is UNVERIFIED). Nudity filters aren't perfect. Google says so. Apple's blurring runs on the device and doesn't alert parents. If your child reports a nude to Apple, the report goes to Apple, not to you. Contact limits stop at the Messages app. Nothing here replaces talking with your child. Friends' phones and second devices are outside every control.

Mostly on your own phone: iPhone Settings, Family, or the Family Link app. Carrier controls are in the carrier's app. A few checks are on your child's device. Prices below are what each company's own page showed on Sep 30, 2026.

  1. Turn on Allowed Contacts

    On your phone · about 5 min · Contacts Only is the strictest.

    This is the main texting lock on iPhone. Apple says it covers who your child communicates with in Messages, Phone, and FaceTime. Apple doesn't spell out iMessage vs SMS vs RCS separately (UNVERIFIED whether they are treated identically). We read "Messages" as the whole app, but that's our reading. If someone new messages your child, they can't see the message until you or another parent or guardian in the Family Sharing group approves. For Allowed Contacts to work, Contacts needs to be turned on in iCloud on your child's device. The middle option lets your child join a group that includes strangers, as long as one saved contact is in it. Use Contacts Only if that worries you. If you can't update every family device to iOS 27, the older control is Communication Limits: Settings, Screen Time, the child, Communication Limits. On that iOS 26 screen, Everyone meant anyone, including unknown numbers.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Allowed Contacts, During Screen Time.
    2. Choose Contacts Only (strictest), Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact, or Everyone.
    3. Also set When Device Paused or Unavailable. Many families pick family members only.
    4. On the child's device, confirm Settings, their name, iCloud, Contacts is on.
    Choose who your child can communicate with

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  2. Limit Android calls and texts to contacts you add

    On your phone · about 8 min · Only contacts I add is the strictest.

    This is Android's approved-contacts lock. It needs Android 14+ phones or Wear OS 5+ watches. On phones it works in Google Messages and Google Dialer. Google says Samsung Messages is supported only on your watch. In the US, Samsung Messages is discontinued on Android 12+ phones anyway. Only phone numbers can be added, not email addresses. Add your child's emergency contacts as approved contacts now. Google says contact limits don't affect emergency services (911 still works), but your child can text or call emergency contacts only if they are added as approved contacts. Contacts saved in Android's Personal Safety app should also be added in Family Link. Other gaps Google lists: WhatsApp and similar apps are not covered; anyone can still leave voicemail; if an approved contact adds someone unapproved to a call, your child can still join that group call; texts to email addresses won't work when limits are on; contacts you create in Family Link may be lost at 13 unless synced to Google Contacts. Approving a group's numbers also allows one-on-one texting with each of them. Approve people, not groups.

    1. Family Link, your child, Controls, Contacts, calls & text, Get started. Add yourself first.
    2. Add contact, Select from your contacts (up to 100) or Create new contact. Add emergency contacts here too.
    3. Allowed calls & texts: Only contacts I add (strictest), Contacts I add & limited groups, or Anyone.
    4. Approve requests from the Family Link notification or the email. For a group under Only contacts I add, you Approve all or Deny all.
    Set up your child's contacts

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  3. Manage their contacts and require approval for new ones

    On your phone · about 5 min

    You decide who's in their contact list, and your child has to ask before adding someone new. Your child has to accept Manage Contacts on their device first. Leave Allow Contact Editing off. Apple's article calls this requiring permission before they communicate with anyone new. Other sources call it Ask to Communicate, but that isn't Apple's label here. Requests to communicate with a new contact through Phone, Messages, and FaceTime arrive in your Messages app.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Allowed Contacts, turn on Manage Contacts. Your child accepts this once on their device.
    2. Add or remove contacts from your phone.
    3. Leave Allow Contact Editing off.
    4. When a request arrives in your Messages app, tap it, then Approve or Decline.
    Choose who your child can communicate with

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  4. Block other chat apps and keep the default messaging app

    On your phone · about 5 min

    Google says that if your child has WhatsApp, Google Chat, or similar apps, they can still call and text numbers that aren't in the parent-managed contacts. Google's advice is to block those apps in Family Link. When contact limits are on, Family Link requires your permission to change default apps. If they change the default communication apps, the contacts, call, and text settings may not work anymore. Family Link's contact limits only apply in Google Messages and Google Dialer.

    1. In Family Link, require approval for Google Play downloads and block apps you don't want.
    2. Leave Change default apps off: Family Link, your child, Screen time, the device.
    What Family Link can and can't do

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  5. Set a Screen Time passcode on your phone, and turn on Ask to Buy

    On your phone · about 4 min

    Without the passcode, your child can change the settings. Without Ask to Buy, they can install a different chat app and get around the contact limits. Apple 108806 says the family organizer or parent/guardian must set the child's Screen Time passcode on their own device, not the child's device. Apple's pages disagree: the Screen Time passcode guide says you can set it from your own device or directly on your child's device. We suggest your own device. Ask to Buy is on by default under 13. In some places it's on by default and can't be turned off under 18.

    Ask to Buy is on by default under 13. Under 13, kids in a Family Sharing group can't lock or hide apps.

    1. On your phone: Settings, Family, the child, Manage Screen Time, Lock Screen Time Settings. Set a four-digit passcode your child doesn't know, and set up passcode recovery.
    2. Settings, Family, the child, Apps & Websites, Restrictions, Ask to Buy, Require Purchase Approval.
    Apple Screen Time passcode (108806)

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  6. Leave Communication Safety on

    On your phone · about 4 min

    It blurs photos and videos with detected nudity, and gore or violence, in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters, FaceTime calls and video messages, shared albums, and some third-party apps. Gore and violence detection works only in FaceTime video messages, not live calls. It is on by default for children under 18 on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch with the latest software. Detection happens on your child's device, and Apple doesn't get the photos or videos, with one exception: if nudity is detected in an iMessage or a FaceTime video call, your child can report the sender to Apple, and the sensitive content is sent to Apple for review. Apple may forward reports to law enforcement. The report option needs every device in your Family Sharing group on version 27. Apple's line that no messages or media are shared with Apple is only about the optional Improve Communication Safety analytics setting. Parents aren't sent the images.

    Under 13, opening the blurred content needs your Screen Time passcode.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Communication Safety. Make sure it's on.
    2. Under 13 (the age varies by region): with a Screen Time passcode set, your child can't view the sensitive content without permission. A parent has to enter the Screen Time passcode.
    3. Tell them that reporting is OK, that a report goes to Apple (not to you), and that it may be passed to law enforcement. Ask them to tell you too.
    About Communication Safety

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  7. Keep sensitive content warnings on in Google Messages

    On your phone · about 3 min

    This blurs images that may contain nudity and warns before your child opens, sends, or forwards one. Supervised kids have it on by default and can't turn it off. Unsupervised teens 13–17 have it on by default, but they can turn it off. Adults have it off by default. Your child gets a notification if you change it. They must be signed in to their Google Account in Google Messages. Detection happens on the device, and Google doesn't send detected nude images or videos to Google. Parents aren't sent the images. Google says the feature isn't perfect. The Family Link page says it works on images. The Google Messages page says images or videos. Google's pages still disagree (UNVERIFIED which one).

    Supervised kids can't turn this off. You control it in Family Link.

    1. Family Link, the child, Controls, Contacts, Calls + Texts, Sensitive content warnings. Leave it on.
    2. Confirm they are signed in to their Google Account inside Google Messages.
    Sensitive content warnings for supervised users

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  8. Put the iPhone in Family Sharing with the correct birthday

    On your phone · about 10 min

    Every iPhone control below depends on your child having their own Apple Account in your family group, with the correct birthday. Apple applies age-based defaults from it. Add yourself and any co-parent to your child's Contacts so the child's requests can be sent for approval. Apple requires Child Accounts under 13 in most places, but under 14, 15, 16, or even 18 in some countries and states.

    1. On your iPhone: Settings, Family, Add Member, Create Child Account. Enter their name and correct birthday.
    2. Update every family device to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS 27, then update parental controls when prompted.
    3. Add yourself and any co-parent to your child's Contacts.
    Create an Apple Account for your child

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  9. Supervise the Android phone with Family Link

    Both of you together · about 10 min

    Android's contact limits, sensitive-content controls, and app approvals come through Family Link. Family Link can't supervise an iPhone. Children signed in on iOS can only be partially supervised. Google lists that parents can't read your child's emails or messages or listen to calls. Under 13 (or your country's age), a Google Account needs parent supervision. At 13, parents can choose to stop supervision at any time, and children need parent approval to stop supervision until they turn 18. Samsung's page says under-18s cannot have an unsupervised Google account and tells parents to delete the child's account to end supervision. Google doesn't require that. Follow Google, not Samsung, on this.

    Under 13, the Google Account needs parent supervision.

    1. Set up supervision from your child's device or in Android Settings. Other accounts may need to come off the phone first.
    2. On a Samsung Galaxy: Settings, Digital Wellbeing and parental controls, Parental controls, Let's do this. That opens Family Link (One UI 2.0 and later).
    Family Link supervision at 13

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  10. Check iPad, Mac, and email-address iMessage

    On your kid's device · about 6 min

    Messages can run on an iPad or Mac signed in to the same Apple Account, and iMessage can use an email address instead of a phone number. Messages in iCloud syncs the whole history, including SMS and RCS, to every device on that account. Deleting a message on one device deletes it on the others. Deleted texts stay in Messages, Recently Deleted, and can be recovered for up to 30 days. Every family device has to be on version 27 for the new controls. Texting via satellite (whether Allowed Contacts or carrier controls apply) is UNVERIFIED and is not a step here.

    1. On the child's iPhone: Settings, Apps, Messages, Send & Receive. Look at which phone numbers and email addresses can receive iMessages.
    2. Settings, Apps, Messages, Text Message Forwarding. See which other devices get SMS/RCS texts.
    3. Make sure any iPad or Mac they use is signed in to their child account, not yours, and is updated.
    Set up Messages (iOS 27)

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  11. Block Game Center private messaging

    On your phone · about 3 min

    Game Center private messages are a separate path from the Messages app. Children under 13 in a Family Sharing group can't lock or hide apps. Teens 13–17 can, but a parent can see that the app was downloaded and how much time it's used, and restrict it with Screen Time.

    Under 13, they can't hide or lock apps.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Apps & Websites, Restrictions, Game Center.
    2. Set Private Messaging and Connect with Friends to Blocked.
    Apple parental controls

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  12. Close the workarounds

    Both of you together · about 6 min

    Warning signs and the lock. This does not describe how to do any of these. No setting closes a friend's phone or a second SIM. Carrier accounts show the lines on your plan, so check them. On Android, approving a group's numbers also allows one-on-one texting with each of them.

    1. New app icons, or a downloaded app in Screen Time or Family Link: Ask to Buy on iPhone, Play approvals and app blocking on Android.
    2. An app you know is installed but can't find: under 13, kids can't hide or lock apps. At 13–17, Screen Time still shows the download and the time, and you can restrict it.
    3. Conversations that aren't on their phone: check Send & Receive and Text Message Forwarding. Keep old devices put away or wiped. Review email addresses in Send & Receive. Allowed Contacts still applies to Messages.
    4. Blue bubbles after you turned iMessage off: no Apple lock for this was found (UNVERIFIED). Rely on Allowed Contacts instead of carrier monitoring on iPhones.
    5. Unknown numbers in a group: choose Contacts Only on iPhone, or Only contacts I add on Android.
    6. Carrier reports look quiet while they're on the phone a lot: carrier limits often don't work on Wi-Fi. Use Allowed Contacts or Family Link, which work on any network.
    7. Many "just this once" requests: approve people, not groups.
    8. Empty threads: on iPhone, deleted texts stay in Messages, Recently Deleted, for up to 30 days. Messages in iCloud deletes everywhere at once. Gabb and Bark Phone can block deletion. On Android 11 or older, Samsung Messages Trash keeps deleted texts 30 days unless Trash is off.
    Choose who your child can communicate with

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  13. On a Galaxy, use Google Messages

    On your kid's device · about 4 min

    Samsung Messages has been discontinued in the US on Android 12+ Galaxy devices since July 6, 2026. Samsung says sending messages via Samsung Messages on your phone will no longer be possible, except for emergency service numbers or emergency contacts. Tablet texting through Call & text on other devices with Samsung Messages was also disrupted. Tablets can text through Google Messages instead, so check them too. Samsung Messages still works on Android 11 or older. On a current US Galaxy, the texting app should be Google Messages, which is where Family Link's controls work. On older Samsung Messages, Samsung documents block a number and a Trash that keeps deleted messages 30 days (it can be turned off). Samsung documents no parent contact-approval feature in Samsung Messages itself. Samsung's parental-controls page points to Family Link and mentions Samsung Kids mode, where you can limit who they can call. Samsung doesn't document texting limits in Kids mode (UNVERIFIED).

    1. On a current US Galaxy (Android 12 or newer), set up Family Link contact limits in Google Messages, not Samsung Messages.
    2. On Android 11 or older, if they still use Samsung Messages: conversation, down arrow, Block number. In Settings, Block numbers and spam. Leave Trash on if you want deleted messages kept 30 days.
    Samsung Messages, US discontinuation

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  14. Set who can text during schedules and pauses

    On your phone · about 5 min

    You can limit who can reach your child at night or during school. Apple says that by default, essentials like FaceTime, Maps, Phone, and Messages are always available. Messages still works during schedules. Who can reach your child then is Allowed Contacts, When Device Paused or Unavailable, not the schedule itself.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Screen Time Schedule. Add time windows such as Before School, School, and After School.
    2. Review Always Allowed and remove anyone who shouldn't reach your child at all hours.
    3. Set Allowed Contacts, When Device Paused or Unavailable, to the people who should get through at night.
    Apple schedules and Time Allowances

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  15. Treat every other chat app as its own lock

    On your phone · about 4 min

    Texting controls only cover the built-in Messages app. WhatsApp, Snapchat, Discord, Roblox, Fortnite, and the consoles have their own cards on this site. Free phone-number apps are a separate hole: TextNow's terms say 13+ (14 in Quebec; 16 in California, Montana, and Oregon), with parent consent under the age of majority. Google Voice's free personal minimum age was not found (UNVERIFIED). Google's paid standalone Voice plans exclude users under 18. Nothing parent-side is documented for those apps. Your control is app approval, and on Android the fact that Family Link contact limits don't apply to them.

    1. iPhone: Ask to Buy, plus the Screen Time passcode, so a new chat app needs you.
    2. Android: Play approvals and app blocking. Leave Change default apps off.
    3. Use the WhatsApp, Snapchat, Discord, Roblox, Fortnite, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo cards for those chats. Don't expect Messages settings to cover them.
    TextNow terms

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  16. Decide whether iMessage stays on

    On your kid's device · about 4 min

    Some parents turn off iMessage so texts go through the carrier, where carrier controls can see them. iMessage can be turned on or off in Settings, Apps, Messages, iMessage. RCS can be turned on or off under RCS Messaging (iOS 18+ and a supporting carrier; availability varies). Starting with iOS 26.5, RCS may be end-to-end encrypted with supported carriers. Apple doesn't document a switch that turns SMS off. SMS is a carrier-provided service. Allowed Contacts, Contacts Only, already limits unknown numbers in Messages. Verizon's FAQ notes that iPhones can turn off iMessage and use SMS solely so texts show up in Verizon's activity feed. We found no Apple page saying Screen Time can stop a child from turning iMessage back on (UNVERIFIED). This is a check-it-now-and-then setting, not a lock. iMessage and encrypted RCS are end-to-end encrypted. SMS/MMS aren't. Turning off iMessage makes texts less private from everyone, not just you.

    1. If you want carrier tools to see texts: on the child's iPhone, Settings, Apps, Messages, turn iMessage off. Check it again later.
    2. Don't treat that as a lock. Use Allowed Contacts, Contacts Only, which limits unknown senders in Messages.
    3. Carriers can cap or block SMS: Verizon Family Plus (up to 20 numbers, SMS/MMS only) and T-Mobile Family Allowances (up to 10 numbers, not over Wi-Fi). AT&T Secure Family can't block texts.
    iMessage, RCS, and SMS

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  17. If you use a carrier control, pick a tier that can block texts

    On your phone · about 8 min

    Carrier controls work on the carrier's network: SMS/MMS, sometimes RCS, usually not over Wi-Fi, and never iMessage, WhatsApp, Snapchat, or other internet apps. Prices are what each company showed on Sep 30, 2026. Verizon Family is free (included at no additional cost). Verizon Family Plus is $14.99/mo, or $10/mo as a perk on myPlan (Unlimited Welcome, Plus, or Ultimate) or the Simplicity plan, and included with Unlimited Ultimate if you switched to it on or after 5/7/26. Both tiers need a standard monthly account with 10 or fewer lines. Business and prepaid aren't eligible. Taxes and fees may apply. A 30-day Plus trial auto-enrolls. Blocking numbers and text limits need Family Plus: up to 20 contacts, SMS/MMS and calls only, not RCS or iMessage. You can't block 911, numbers on your own account, or trusted contacts. The free tier lets you view call and text activity (numbers, times, contact rank), not content. Verizon Just Kids says everyone except trusted contacts is blocked, and you can disable iMessage or RCS, but it is no longer available to add to accounts. AT&T Secure Family is $12/month after a 30-day free trial, auto-renews, covers up to 10 family members and 30 devices, and only the primary account holder can sign up. It does not block native calling or text messages, including Android texts and iMessage. AT&T points to ActiveArmor for blocking numbers, but ActiveArmor's help page describes a My Block List on the Calls tab and points texts to Apple's and Google's spam filters. The Advanced tier price, and whether it can block texts, are UNVERIFIED. T-Mobile FamilyMode is $10/mo, needs at least two lines (not single-line plans) and a qualifying plan (T-Mobile names Magenta, ONE, Essentials, and Simple Choice), and covers up to 17 lines. Optional Home Base is a $20 promotional price. FamilyMode monitors app and internet activity only. Texts are Family Allowances, which is free with FamilyMode. Family Allowances on its own is "a small monthly fee" (amount not shown; UNVERIFIED). Web Guard is free. Family Allowances Never Allowed and Always Allowed lists are up to 10 numbers each (10-digit US only) and don't work over Wi-Fi. T-Mobile's page doesn't say whether taxes apply.

    1. To block numbers or set text limits on Verizon, you need Family Plus, not the free Verizon Family tier.
    2. AT&T Secure Family ($12/month after the trial; https://www.att.com/security/secure-family-app/) can't block texts. Don't buy it for that.
    3. On T-Mobile, Family Allowances is the text control. It is free with FamilyMode ($10/mo, at least two lines; https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/familymode). It does not work over Wi-Fi or off T-Mobile's network.
    4. On an iPhone, iMessage bypasses all of this. Use Allowed Contacts, or turn off iMessage and check it now and then.
    5. Add Always Allowed or trusted numbers, including you, a co-parent, and voicemail. T-Mobile says to add the voicemail-retrieval number.
    Verizon Family FAQs

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  18. If you use a kid phone, check its text controls and the price

    In a browser · about 6 min

    Kid phones don't use iMessage, so texts go through the carrier or the company's own app. That's one reason their controls can be tighter than on an iPhone. Prices are what each company's page showed on Sep 30, 2026. Whether Gabb or Bark Phone parents can turn off group or picture messages is UNVERIFIED. Pinwheel phone prices didn't show on the page (UNVERIFIED), apart from plan prices.

    1. Gabb Phone 4 is $169.99 plus a Gabb Cellular Plan and a $30 activation fee. Standard plan from $29.99/mo, Advanced from $34.99/mo, with a 2-year contract (higher on 1-year or no contract). Approved contacts are optional on phones and required on watches. Gabb flags or blocks messages that may be harmful. Group and picture messaging are included on both plans. Logs show number and time, not content. Parents can set message deletion to instantly, after 30 days, or never.
    2. Bark Phone device is $240 upfront or $10/mo for 24 months (Pro $600 or $25/mo for 24). Plans, all plus tax: Starter $29/mo (talk and text, no internet), $39 Wi-Fi only, $49 for 4GB, $59 for 8GB, $79 unlimited. Contact approval is on all plans. Bark scans texts and sends alerts, and can prevent text deletion.
    3. Pinwheel Caregiver Portal Only is $17.99/mo or $174.99/yr (bring any carrier). Pinwheel Wireless is $29.99/mo or $284.99/yr and includes the portal. The Genesis page shows $49.99 quarterly or $174.99 for portal access. Parents can approve contacts and apps, access text messages and call history, and set schedules. If even one person in a group isn't an approved contact, your child can't send to that group.
    4. Troomi plans: $24.95/mo (talk, text, text monitoring), $29.95/mo (adds picture and group texting), $34.95/mo (adds apps and an optional browser). Phone starting at $6.94/month on a 36-month plan. Calls and texts are limited to contacts you approve. Remote text monitoring is on all plans.
    Gabb Phone 4

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  19. Read what monitoring apps can see before you pay

    In a browser · about 8 min

    Neutral comparison. Raising Bytes isn't paid by these companies and there are no affiliate links. Prices and quotes are from each vendor's own pages, checked Sep 30, 2026. Apple doesn't let other apps read Messages on an iPhone. To look at iPhone texts, monitoring apps copy data off the phone through a charger, a computer, or a home router. Bark says Apple's privacy protections mean third-party apps can't read what's on your child's device. Your child will almost always know. A company will process their private messages. None of these read end-to-end encrypted chats on an iPhone the way they can on Android. Norton Family, Net Nanny, Mobicip, Canopy, and Life360 don't monitor texts (Norton says text supervision and call blocking are currently disabled).

    1. Bark Premium, needed for text monitoring: $14 + tax per month or $99 + tax per year. Jr is $5 + tax/mo or $49 + tax/yr and does not include text monitoring. Bark Sync lease is $6/mo or $49/yr. Bark Home is $79, or lease $6/mo or $49/yr. On iPhone, texts need Bark Sync, the Bark Desktop App, or Bark Home. Alerts include the flagged snippet, not every message. Scans cover up to 60 days of history at setup and are not instantaneous.
    2. Qustodio Complete is $104.95/yr. Calls and messages are Complete-only. Basic is $59.95/yr and doesn't include messages. On iPhone it needs a Mac or Windows computer, iOS 15+, a cable for setup, and the same Wi-Fi. It shows the content of SMS and iMessage. On iOS, all data transmitted to and from the device is channeled through Qustodio's servers.
    3. Aura Kids is $10/mo billed annually, or $13 monthly. Messaging Insights is which apps they message in, plus volume and tone, and self-harm Risk Signals. Not message reading. Captured content is not retrievable by parents. The iOS vs Android difference isn't documented (UNVERIFIED). The Aura keyboard collects keystroke patterns, and OpenAI is listed as a subprocessor.
    4. FamiSafe is $9.99/mo, $19.99/quarter, or $59.99/yr, and auto-renews. On iOS it can't see WhatsApp or detailed social content. On Android it says it monitors suspicious texts on social media and SMS. The controller is based in Lhasa, China. The website policy says it sells or shares device and usage data for ads.
    Bark pricing

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

Age 15

Open this as a checklist

Text messaging

iPhone: Apple's newest parental controls need iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 on every device in the Family Sharing group. If you can't update every device, Apple says you can keep the previous Screen Time version (the contact control is called Communication Limits) or adjust parental controls on the child's device. Android: Family Link contact limits need Android 14+ phones or Wear OS 5+ watches, and on phones they work in Google Messages. Samsung Messages was discontinued in the US on Android 12+ Galaxy phones as of July 6, 2026. In the EU only, iPhones can set a different default app for SMS/RCS.

What this can't do: no built-in iPhone or Android tool lets parents read texts. Only third-party monitoring apps or some kid phones can, and on iPhone only with extra hardware or a computer. Carrier tools don't see iMessage or internet chat apps, and often stop working on Wi-Fi. Apple doesn't document a switch that turns SMS off, or a way to lock iMessage off (that lock is UNVERIFIED). Nudity filters aren't perfect. Google says so. Apple's blurring runs on the device and doesn't alert parents. If your child reports a nude to Apple, the report goes to Apple, not to you. Contact limits stop at the Messages app. Nothing here replaces talking with your child. Friends' phones and second devices are outside every control.

Mostly on your own phone: iPhone Settings, Family, or the Family Link app. Carrier controls are in the carrier's app. A few checks are on your child's device. Prices below are what each company's own page showed on Sep 30, 2026.

  1. Turn on Allowed Contacts

    On your phone · about 5 min · Contacts Only is the strictest.

    This is the main texting lock on iPhone. Apple says it covers who your child communicates with in Messages, Phone, and FaceTime. Apple doesn't spell out iMessage vs SMS vs RCS separately (UNVERIFIED whether they are treated identically). We read "Messages" as the whole app, but that's our reading. If someone new messages your child, they can't see the message until you or another parent or guardian in the Family Sharing group approves. For Allowed Contacts to work, Contacts needs to be turned on in iCloud on your child's device. The middle option lets your child join a group that includes strangers, as long as one saved contact is in it. Use Contacts Only if that worries you. If you can't update every family device to iOS 27, the older control is Communication Limits: Settings, Screen Time, the child, Communication Limits. On that iOS 26 screen, Everyone meant anyone, including unknown numbers.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Allowed Contacts, During Screen Time.
    2. Choose Contacts Only (strictest), Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact, or Everyone.
    3. Also set When Device Paused or Unavailable. Many families pick family members only.
    4. On the child's device, confirm Settings, their name, iCloud, Contacts is on.
    Choose who your child can communicate with

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  2. Limit Android calls and texts to contacts you add

    On your phone · about 8 min · Only contacts I add is the strictest.

    This is Android's approved-contacts lock. It needs Android 14+ phones or Wear OS 5+ watches. On phones it works in Google Messages and Google Dialer. Google says Samsung Messages is supported only on your watch. In the US, Samsung Messages is discontinued on Android 12+ phones anyway. Only phone numbers can be added, not email addresses. Add your child's emergency contacts as approved contacts now. Google says contact limits don't affect emergency services (911 still works), but your child can text or call emergency contacts only if they are added as approved contacts. Contacts saved in Android's Personal Safety app should also be added in Family Link. Other gaps Google lists: WhatsApp and similar apps are not covered; anyone can still leave voicemail; if an approved contact adds someone unapproved to a call, your child can still join that group call; texts to email addresses won't work when limits are on; contacts you create in Family Link may be lost at 13 unless synced to Google Contacts. Approving a group's numbers also allows one-on-one texting with each of them. Approve people, not groups.

    1. Family Link, your child, Controls, Contacts, calls & text, Get started. Add yourself first.
    2. Add contact, Select from your contacts (up to 100) or Create new contact. Add emergency contacts here too.
    3. Allowed calls & texts: Only contacts I add (strictest), Contacts I add & limited groups, or Anyone.
    4. Approve requests from the Family Link notification or the email. For a group under Only contacts I add, you Approve all or Deny all.
    Set up your child's contacts

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  3. Manage their contacts and require approval for new ones

    On your phone · about 5 min

    You decide who's in their contact list, and your child has to ask before adding someone new. Your child has to accept Manage Contacts on their device first. Leave Allow Contact Editing off. Apple's article calls this requiring permission before they communicate with anyone new. Other sources call it Ask to Communicate, but that isn't Apple's label here. Requests to communicate with a new contact through Phone, Messages, and FaceTime arrive in your Messages app.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Allowed Contacts, turn on Manage Contacts. Your child accepts this once on their device.
    2. Add or remove contacts from your phone.
    3. Leave Allow Contact Editing off.
    4. When a request arrives in your Messages app, tap it, then Approve or Decline.
    Choose who your child can communicate with

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  4. Block other chat apps and keep the default messaging app

    On your phone · about 5 min

    Google says that if your child has WhatsApp, Google Chat, or similar apps, they can still call and text numbers that aren't in the parent-managed contacts. Google's advice is to block those apps in Family Link. When contact limits are on, Family Link requires your permission to change default apps. If they change the default communication apps, the contacts, call, and text settings may not work anymore. Family Link's contact limits only apply in Google Messages and Google Dialer.

    1. In Family Link, require approval for Google Play downloads and block apps you don't want.
    2. Leave Change default apps off: Family Link, your child, Screen time, the device.
    What Family Link can and can't do

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  5. Set a Screen Time passcode on your phone, and turn on Ask to Buy

    On your phone · about 4 min

    Without the passcode, your child can change the settings. Without Ask to Buy, they can install a different chat app and get around the contact limits. Apple 108806 says the family organizer or parent/guardian must set the child's Screen Time passcode on their own device, not the child's device. Apple's pages disagree: the Screen Time passcode guide says you can set it from your own device or directly on your child's device. We suggest your own device. Ask to Buy is on by default under 13. In some places it's on by default and can't be turned off under 18.

    Teens 13–17 can hide or lock an app. You can still see that it was downloaded, how much time it's used, and restrict it with Screen Time.

    1. On your phone: Settings, Family, the child, Manage Screen Time, Lock Screen Time Settings. Set a four-digit passcode your child doesn't know, and set up passcode recovery.
    2. Settings, Family, the child, Apps & Websites, Restrictions, Ask to Buy, Require Purchase Approval.
    Apple Screen Time passcode (108806)

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  6. Leave Communication Safety on

    On your phone · about 4 min

    It blurs photos and videos with detected nudity, and gore or violence, in Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters, FaceTime calls and video messages, shared albums, and some third-party apps. Gore and violence detection works only in FaceTime video messages, not live calls. It is on by default for children under 18 on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch with the latest software. Detection happens on your child's device, and Apple doesn't get the photos or videos, with one exception: if nudity is detected in an iMessage or a FaceTime video call, your child can report the sender to Apple, and the sensitive content is sent to Apple for review. Apple may forward reports to law enforcement. The report option needs every device in your Family Sharing group on version 27. Apple's line that no messages or media are shared with Apple is only about the optional Improve Communication Safety analytics setting. Parents aren't sent the images.

    On by default under 18. A report of a nude in iMessage or a FaceTime video call goes to Apple, not to you.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Communication Safety. Make sure it's on.
    2. Under 13 (the age varies by region): with a Screen Time passcode set, your child can't view the sensitive content without permission. A parent has to enter the Screen Time passcode.
    3. Tell them that reporting is OK, that a report goes to Apple (not to you), and that it may be passed to law enforcement. Ask them to tell you too.
    About Communication Safety

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  7. Keep sensitive content warnings on in Google Messages

    On your phone · about 3 min

    This blurs images that may contain nudity and warns before your child opens, sends, or forwards one. Supervised kids have it on by default and can't turn it off. Unsupervised teens 13–17 have it on by default, but they can turn it off. Adults have it off by default. Your child gets a notification if you change it. They must be signed in to their Google Account in Google Messages. Detection happens on the device, and Google doesn't send detected nude images or videos to Google. Parents aren't sent the images. Google says the feature isn't perfect. The Family Link page says it works on images. The Google Messages page says images or videos. Google's pages still disagree (UNVERIFIED which one).

    Unsupervised teens 13–17 can turn it off. If they are still supervised, they can't.

    1. Family Link, the child, Controls, Contacts, Calls + Texts, Sensitive content warnings. Leave it on.
    2. Confirm they are signed in to their Google Account inside Google Messages.
    Sensitive content warnings for supervised users

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  8. Put the iPhone in Family Sharing with the correct birthday

    On your phone · about 10 min

    Every iPhone control below depends on your child having their own Apple Account in your family group, with the correct birthday. Apple applies age-based defaults from it. Add yourself and any co-parent to your child's Contacts so the child's requests can be sent for approval. Apple requires Child Accounts under 13 in most places, but under 14, 15, 16, or even 18 in some countries and states.

    1. On your iPhone: Settings, Family, Add Member, Create Child Account. Enter their name and correct birthday.
    2. Update every family device to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS 27, then update parental controls when prompted.
    3. Add yourself and any co-parent to your child's Contacts.
    Create an Apple Account for your child

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  9. Supervise the Android phone with Family Link

    Both of you together · about 10 min

    Android's contact limits, sensitive-content controls, and app approvals come through Family Link. Family Link can't supervise an iPhone. Children signed in on iOS can only be partially supervised. Google lists that parents can't read your child's emails or messages or listen to calls. Under 13 (or your country's age), a Google Account needs parent supervision. At 13, parents can choose to stop supervision at any time, and children need parent approval to stop supervision until they turn 18. Samsung's page says under-18s cannot have an unsupervised Google account and tells parents to delete the child's account to end supervision. Google doesn't require that. Follow Google, not Samsung, on this.

    At 13 or your country's age, you can choose to stop supervision. They need your approval to stop it themselves until 18.

    1. Set up supervision from your child's device or in Android Settings. Other accounts may need to come off the phone first.
    2. On a Samsung Galaxy: Settings, Digital Wellbeing and parental controls, Parental controls, Let's do this. That opens Family Link (One UI 2.0 and later).
    Family Link supervision at 13

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  10. Check iPad, Mac, and email-address iMessage

    On your kid's device · about 6 min

    Messages can run on an iPad or Mac signed in to the same Apple Account, and iMessage can use an email address instead of a phone number. Messages in iCloud syncs the whole history, including SMS and RCS, to every device on that account. Deleting a message on one device deletes it on the others. Deleted texts stay in Messages, Recently Deleted, and can be recovered for up to 30 days. Every family device has to be on version 27 for the new controls. Texting via satellite (whether Allowed Contacts or carrier controls apply) is UNVERIFIED and is not a step here.

    1. On the child's iPhone: Settings, Apps, Messages, Send & Receive. Look at which phone numbers and email addresses can receive iMessages.
    2. Settings, Apps, Messages, Text Message Forwarding. See which other devices get SMS/RCS texts.
    3. Make sure any iPad or Mac they use is signed in to their child account, not yours, and is updated.
    Set up Messages (iOS 27)

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  11. Block Game Center private messaging

    On your phone · about 3 min

    Game Center private messages are a separate path from the Messages app. Children under 13 in a Family Sharing group can't lock or hide apps. Teens 13–17 can, but a parent can see that the app was downloaded and how much time it's used, and restrict it with Screen Time.

    Teens can hide an app. Screen Time still shows the download and the time used.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Apps & Websites, Restrictions, Game Center.
    2. Set Private Messaging and Connect with Friends to Blocked.
    Apple parental controls

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  12. Close the workarounds

    Both of you together · about 6 min

    Warning signs and the lock. This does not describe how to do any of these. No setting closes a friend's phone or a second SIM. Carrier accounts show the lines on your plan, so check them. On Android, approving a group's numbers also allows one-on-one texting with each of them.

    1. New app icons, or a downloaded app in Screen Time or Family Link: Ask to Buy on iPhone, Play approvals and app blocking on Android.
    2. An app you know is installed but can't find: under 13, kids can't hide or lock apps. At 13–17, Screen Time still shows the download and the time, and you can restrict it.
    3. Conversations that aren't on their phone: check Send & Receive and Text Message Forwarding. Keep old devices put away or wiped. Review email addresses in Send & Receive. Allowed Contacts still applies to Messages.
    4. Blue bubbles after you turned iMessage off: no Apple lock for this was found (UNVERIFIED). Rely on Allowed Contacts instead of carrier monitoring on iPhones.
    5. Unknown numbers in a group: choose Contacts Only on iPhone, or Only contacts I add on Android.
    6. Carrier reports look quiet while they're on the phone a lot: carrier limits often don't work on Wi-Fi. Use Allowed Contacts or Family Link, which work on any network.
    7. Many "just this once" requests: approve people, not groups.
    8. Empty threads: on iPhone, deleted texts stay in Messages, Recently Deleted, for up to 30 days. Messages in iCloud deletes everywhere at once. Gabb and Bark Phone can block deletion. On Android 11 or older, Samsung Messages Trash keeps deleted texts 30 days unless Trash is off.
    Choose who your child can communicate with

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  13. On a Galaxy, use Google Messages

    On your kid's device · about 4 min

    Samsung Messages has been discontinued in the US on Android 12+ Galaxy devices since July 6, 2026. Samsung says sending messages via Samsung Messages on your phone will no longer be possible, except for emergency service numbers or emergency contacts. Tablet texting through Call & text on other devices with Samsung Messages was also disrupted. Tablets can text through Google Messages instead, so check them too. Samsung Messages still works on Android 11 or older. On a current US Galaxy, the texting app should be Google Messages, which is where Family Link's controls work. On older Samsung Messages, Samsung documents block a number and a Trash that keeps deleted messages 30 days (it can be turned off). Samsung documents no parent contact-approval feature in Samsung Messages itself. Samsung's parental-controls page points to Family Link and mentions Samsung Kids mode, where you can limit who they can call. Samsung doesn't document texting limits in Kids mode (UNVERIFIED).

    1. On a current US Galaxy (Android 12 or newer), set up Family Link contact limits in Google Messages, not Samsung Messages.
    2. On Android 11 or older, if they still use Samsung Messages: conversation, down arrow, Block number. In Settings, Block numbers and spam. Leave Trash on if you want deleted messages kept 30 days.
    Samsung Messages, US discontinuation

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  14. Set who can text during schedules and pauses

    On your phone · about 5 min

    You can limit who can reach your child at night or during school. Apple says that by default, essentials like FaceTime, Maps, Phone, and Messages are always available. Messages still works during schedules. Who can reach your child then is Allowed Contacts, When Device Paused or Unavailable, not the schedule itself.

    1. Settings, Family, the child, Screen Time Schedule. Add time windows such as Before School, School, and After School.
    2. Review Always Allowed and remove anyone who shouldn't reach your child at all hours.
    3. Set Allowed Contacts, When Device Paused or Unavailable, to the people who should get through at night.
    Apple schedules and Time Allowances

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  15. Treat every other chat app as its own lock

    On your phone · about 4 min

    Texting controls only cover the built-in Messages app. WhatsApp, Snapchat, Discord, Roblox, Fortnite, and the consoles have their own cards on this site. Free phone-number apps are a separate hole: TextNow's terms say 13+ (14 in Quebec; 16 in California, Montana, and Oregon), with parent consent under the age of majority. Google Voice's free personal minimum age was not found (UNVERIFIED). Google's paid standalone Voice plans exclude users under 18. Nothing parent-side is documented for those apps. Your control is app approval, and on Android the fact that Family Link contact limits don't apply to them.

    1. iPhone: Ask to Buy, plus the Screen Time passcode, so a new chat app needs you.
    2. Android: Play approvals and app blocking. Leave Change default apps off.
    3. Use the WhatsApp, Snapchat, Discord, Roblox, Fortnite, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo cards for those chats. Don't expect Messages settings to cover them.
    TextNow terms

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  16. Decide whether iMessage stays on

    On your kid's device · about 4 min

    Some parents turn off iMessage so texts go through the carrier, where carrier controls can see them. iMessage can be turned on or off in Settings, Apps, Messages, iMessage. RCS can be turned on or off under RCS Messaging (iOS 18+ and a supporting carrier; availability varies). Starting with iOS 26.5, RCS may be end-to-end encrypted with supported carriers. Apple doesn't document a switch that turns SMS off. SMS is a carrier-provided service. Allowed Contacts, Contacts Only, already limits unknown numbers in Messages. Verizon's FAQ notes that iPhones can turn off iMessage and use SMS solely so texts show up in Verizon's activity feed. We found no Apple page saying Screen Time can stop a child from turning iMessage back on (UNVERIFIED). This is a check-it-now-and-then setting, not a lock. iMessage and encrypted RCS are end-to-end encrypted. SMS/MMS aren't. Turning off iMessage makes texts less private from everyone, not just you.

    1. If you want carrier tools to see texts: on the child's iPhone, Settings, Apps, Messages, turn iMessage off. Check it again later.
    2. Don't treat that as a lock. Use Allowed Contacts, Contacts Only, which limits unknown senders in Messages.
    3. Carriers can cap or block SMS: Verizon Family Plus (up to 20 numbers, SMS/MMS only) and T-Mobile Family Allowances (up to 10 numbers, not over Wi-Fi). AT&T Secure Family can't block texts.
    iMessage, RCS, and SMS

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  17. If you use a carrier control, pick a tier that can block texts

    On your phone · about 8 min

    Carrier controls work on the carrier's network: SMS/MMS, sometimes RCS, usually not over Wi-Fi, and never iMessage, WhatsApp, Snapchat, or other internet apps. Prices are what each company showed on Sep 30, 2026. Verizon Family is free (included at no additional cost). Verizon Family Plus is $14.99/mo, or $10/mo as a perk on myPlan (Unlimited Welcome, Plus, or Ultimate) or the Simplicity plan, and included with Unlimited Ultimate if you switched to it on or after 5/7/26. Both tiers need a standard monthly account with 10 or fewer lines. Business and prepaid aren't eligible. Taxes and fees may apply. A 30-day Plus trial auto-enrolls. Blocking numbers and text limits need Family Plus: up to 20 contacts, SMS/MMS and calls only, not RCS or iMessage. You can't block 911, numbers on your own account, or trusted contacts. The free tier lets you view call and text activity (numbers, times, contact rank), not content. Verizon Just Kids says everyone except trusted contacts is blocked, and you can disable iMessage or RCS, but it is no longer available to add to accounts. AT&T Secure Family is $12/month after a 30-day free trial, auto-renews, covers up to 10 family members and 30 devices, and only the primary account holder can sign up. It does not block native calling or text messages, including Android texts and iMessage. AT&T points to ActiveArmor for blocking numbers, but ActiveArmor's help page describes a My Block List on the Calls tab and points texts to Apple's and Google's spam filters. The Advanced tier price, and whether it can block texts, are UNVERIFIED. T-Mobile FamilyMode is $10/mo, needs at least two lines (not single-line plans) and a qualifying plan (T-Mobile names Magenta, ONE, Essentials, and Simple Choice), and covers up to 17 lines. Optional Home Base is a $20 promotional price. FamilyMode monitors app and internet activity only. Texts are Family Allowances, which is free with FamilyMode. Family Allowances on its own is "a small monthly fee" (amount not shown; UNVERIFIED). Web Guard is free. Family Allowances Never Allowed and Always Allowed lists are up to 10 numbers each (10-digit US only) and don't work over Wi-Fi. T-Mobile's page doesn't say whether taxes apply.

    1. To block numbers or set text limits on Verizon, you need Family Plus, not the free Verizon Family tier.
    2. AT&T Secure Family ($12/month after the trial; https://www.att.com/security/secure-family-app/) can't block texts. Don't buy it for that.
    3. On T-Mobile, Family Allowances is the text control. It is free with FamilyMode ($10/mo, at least two lines; https://www.t-mobile.com/support/plans-features/familymode). It does not work over Wi-Fi or off T-Mobile's network.
    4. On an iPhone, iMessage bypasses all of this. Use Allowed Contacts, or turn off iMessage and check it now and then.
    5. Add Always Allowed or trusted numbers, including you, a co-parent, and voicemail. T-Mobile says to add the voicemail-retrieval number.
    Verizon Family FAQs

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  18. If you use a kid phone, check its text controls and the price

    In a browser · about 6 min

    Kid phones don't use iMessage, so texts go through the carrier or the company's own app. That's one reason their controls can be tighter than on an iPhone. Prices are what each company's page showed on Sep 30, 2026. Whether Gabb or Bark Phone parents can turn off group or picture messages is UNVERIFIED. Pinwheel phone prices didn't show on the page (UNVERIFIED), apart from plan prices.

    1. Gabb Phone 4 is $169.99 plus a Gabb Cellular Plan and a $30 activation fee. Standard plan from $29.99/mo, Advanced from $34.99/mo, with a 2-year contract (higher on 1-year or no contract). Approved contacts are optional on phones and required on watches. Gabb flags or blocks messages that may be harmful. Group and picture messaging are included on both plans. Logs show number and time, not content. Parents can set message deletion to instantly, after 30 days, or never.
    2. Bark Phone device is $240 upfront or $10/mo for 24 months (Pro $600 or $25/mo for 24). Plans, all plus tax: Starter $29/mo (talk and text, no internet), $39 Wi-Fi only, $49 for 4GB, $59 for 8GB, $79 unlimited. Contact approval is on all plans. Bark scans texts and sends alerts, and can prevent text deletion.
    3. Pinwheel Caregiver Portal Only is $17.99/mo or $174.99/yr (bring any carrier). Pinwheel Wireless is $29.99/mo or $284.99/yr and includes the portal. The Genesis page shows $49.99 quarterly or $174.99 for portal access. Parents can approve contacts and apps, access text messages and call history, and set schedules. If even one person in a group isn't an approved contact, your child can't send to that group.
    4. Troomi plans: $24.95/mo (talk, text, text monitoring), $29.95/mo (adds picture and group texting), $34.95/mo (adds apps and an optional browser). Phone starting at $6.94/month on a 36-month plan. Calls and texts are limited to contacts you approve. Remote text monitoring is on all plans.
    Gabb Phone 4

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

  19. Read what monitoring apps can see before you pay

    In a browser · about 8 min

    Neutral comparison. Raising Bytes isn't paid by these companies and there are no affiliate links. Prices and quotes are from each vendor's own pages, checked Sep 30, 2026. Apple doesn't let other apps read Messages on an iPhone. To look at iPhone texts, monitoring apps copy data off the phone through a charger, a computer, or a home router. Bark says Apple's privacy protections mean third-party apps can't read what's on your child's device. Your child will almost always know. A company will process their private messages. None of these read end-to-end encrypted chats on an iPhone the way they can on Android. Norton Family, Net Nanny, Mobicip, Canopy, and Life360 don't monitor texts (Norton says text supervision and call blocking are currently disabled).

    1. Bark Premium, needed for text monitoring: $14 + tax per month or $99 + tax per year. Jr is $5 + tax/mo or $49 + tax/yr and does not include text monitoring. Bark Sync lease is $6/mo or $49/yr. Bark Home is $79, or lease $6/mo or $49/yr. On iPhone, texts need Bark Sync, the Bark Desktop App, or Bark Home. Alerts include the flagged snippet, not every message. Scans cover up to 60 days of history at setup and are not instantaneous.
    2. Qustodio Complete is $104.95/yr. Calls and messages are Complete-only. Basic is $59.95/yr and doesn't include messages. On iPhone it needs a Mac or Windows computer, iOS 15+, a cable for setup, and the same Wi-Fi. It shows the content of SMS and iMessage. On iOS, all data transmitted to and from the device is channeled through Qustodio's servers.
    3. Aura Kids is $10/mo billed annually, or $13 monthly. Messaging Insights is which apps they message in, plus volume and tone, and self-harm Risk Signals. Not message reading. Captured content is not retrievable by parents. The iOS vs Android difference isn't documented (UNVERIFIED). The Aura keyboard collects keystroke patterns, and OpenAI is listed as a subprocessor.
    4. FamiSafe is $9.99/mo, $19.99/quarter, or $59.99/yr, and auto-renews. On iOS it can't see WhatsApp or detailed social content. On Android it says it monitors suspicious texts on social media and SMS. The controller is based in Lhasa, China. The website policy says it sells or shares device and usage data for ads.
    Bark pricing

    Checked 30 Sep 2026

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