These days, the average family might have a dozen or more devices connected to the internet, from smartphones to smart TVs. And now more than ever, it’s important for parents to be aware of what their kids are doing online. While many solutions exist for monitoring and limiting access to the web, most are implemented on the device level, meaning you’d need to have an app on every phone, tablet or computer that goes online. A new solution to this problem comes from Circle With Disney, a simple gadget that lets you manage internet content and time limits across all devices on your home network.
Circle is a small cube-shaped device that connects with your router and acts as a gateway between your home network and all devices that connect to it. By monitoring all traffic going to the router, parents can keep tabs on everything that all users are doing, from visiting particular websites to using specific apps. Limits can be set based on site content, time online, or a combination of both. These limits follow the user, not the device, so by implementing one set of limits, a parent can control their children’s internet usage across all devices. The specific controls also mean that if a parent deems one resource restricted—say, Facebook—the filters won’t limit a user’s access to acceptable sites, like those required to complete a homework assignment. A personalized dashboard for each user gives a rundown of usage limits, displays suggested content and even curates exclusive family-friendly material provided by Disney.
We spent some time using the Circle With Disney device, and created the following videos to help you get started. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
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