The Family App-Safety Checklist
Seven high-impact steps, in order of how much they protect your family. You do not have to do all of it this week. Start at the top and work down.
Cover your whole home at the network level
Blocking clearly harmful content at your router protects every device at once, without an app on each one. It is the single highest-leverage step. How to do it.
Keep screens in shared spaces, out of bedrooms at night
Bedrooms and late nights are where most trouble grows. Charge devices outside bedrooms and a lot of risk quietly disappears.
Turn on each app's safety settings
Family Center, Restricted Mode, private accounts, location off. Five minutes per app. See our app-by-app guides.
Know the apps before your kids do
AI companions and chat apps deserve particular attention. Check whether an app is right for your child's age before it shows up on their phone. Start here.
Set a simple daily rhythm
A screen-free meal and a screen-free hour before bed do more than any strict daily total. Protect sleep first.
Have the conversations
The most protected kid is the one who brings the hard thing to you instead of hiding it. Conversation starters.
Build in rest
A family that knows how to unplug is not owned by its devices. Name it as a gift, not a punishment.