Microsoft family features
Other names | Microsoft Family Safety (Windows 8 & Windows 8.1) Parental Controls (Windows 7 & Windows Vista) |
---|---|
Operating system | Microsoft Windows, as Family Safety on Android, iOS |
Type | Parental controls |
Website | https://account.microsoft.com/family/ |
Microsoft family features (includes family safety features formerly known as Microsoft Family Safety, formerly Parental Controls in Windows 7 and Vista) is a free set of features available on Windows 10 PC and Mobile that is bundled with the
Other changes to family safety features in Windows 10 include Windows Store purchase controls and the ability to find a child's Windows 10 Mobile device on a map.[3]
History
Microsoft has offered family safety features since March 2006 when a preview of Windows Live OneCare Family Safety was first offered to 3000 beta testers. After over a year and a half of testing, the final version was released on November 6, 2007. On December 15, 2008, Microsoft released an updated version 2009 of the software, and rebranded it as Windows Live Family Safety, removing it from the discontinued
On May 14, 2012, Microsoft announced that Windows Live Family Safety will be renamed to Microsoft Family Safety and will be built-in as part of its Windows 8 operating system.[7][8]
In August 2015, Microsoft Family Safety was renamed Microsoft Family Features and the family features offering was expanded beyond that of just family safety to include Windows Store funding.
On December 16, 2015, Microsoft added new features to Windows 10 which included screen time extensions and the ability to manage settings for both Windows 10 PC and Mobile in one place.[9]
In addition, Microsoft added a unified management center for recent activity, browsing history, app and game purchasing and downloading history and made it possible for a parent account to locate their child's Windows 10 phone.[10]
Windows 8 features
- Web Filtering – Family Safety has a Windows Filtering Platform driver to filter web browsing. The service filters in 18 different languages and contains the following levels:
- Allow List Only – Only allows websites that a parent has added to the Allow list.
- Warn on adult content – Allows all websites but warns when the site contains suspected adult material. This setting was designed for older children who are trusted to make good decisions when the web filter incorrectly categorizes a site.
- Activity Reporting – Parents can obtain a list of the websites visited. They can also obtain a list of the following: computer usage time, programs run, files downloaded, and games run, which will be reported via Windows Parental Controls.[11]
- Enforce the adult filter of
- Control of Family Safety settings to set time limits, and game restrictions ala ESRBas well as general application restrictions.
- Control of which programs a user is allowed to run.
- Family Safety allows remote access to its features via the web interface. Windows Live Family Safety 2011 added support for using the web filtering/blocking controls without the child having a Windows Live ID.
- Family Safety blocks InPrivate browsing in Internet Explorer 8 and 9.
- Image Filtering – When Family Safety's SafeSearch is enabled, this filter looks for adult content in images. The filter is only run on websites which do not do an adequate job of filtering the images and only on computers with sufficient performance capabilities. When an image is blocked, Family Safety blurs it out.[13][14][15][16]
- Family Safety for Windows 8 Mobile will be discontinued in the following months.[when?][citation needed][17]
Windows 10 features
- Partial Web Filtering – Web filtering is restricted to Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. When the child is blocked from visiting a website, they can send a request to the parent asking for permission. Upon approval the child can visit the website.[19] Most other commonly used browsers are automatically blocked, but can be enabled if required.[20]
- Activity Reporting – Parents can obtain a list of the websites visited, device usage time, and apps used for any Windows 10 PC or Mobile devices.
- Screen time - Parents can restrict the amount of time a child can use the PC, and specify the time intervals that PCs can be used as well as a maximum time allowance per PC. A parent can approve extensions when time runs out.[21]
- App, games & media limits (Store only) - In Windows 10 it is no longer possible to block non-Windows Store applications. Only Windows Store apps can be restricted. Parents can set an age rating for content that a child can acquire in the Windows Store. This applies to apps, games, music, and movie content that a child can browse or acquire in the Windows Store. Parents can explicitly block Store apps or games but only after they have been used by the child.[22]
- Purchase & spending features - Parents can add money to their child's account that the child can then use to buy content in the Windows Store. This feature allows parents to give their children spending allowances without having to attach a credit card to the child's account. Parents can see a child's recent purchases in the Windows Store.[23]
- Find your child - Parents can find their child's Windows 10 Mobile phone on a map.[24]
References
- ^ "Microsoft Family Safety".
- ^ Windows Help Articles: Set up family features on Windows 10
- ^ Microsoft Family FAQ: Changes to family features
- ^ Mondok, Matt (August 31, 2006). "Adults only: Windows Live OneCare Family Safety beta released. Microsoft has released a beta of its parental control application known as …". Ars Technica.
- CNet.
- ^ Arar, Yardena (February 5, 2009). "Microsoft Plans a Stripped-Down Windows 7". PC World.
- ^ Building Windows 8: Keeping your family safer with Windows 8
- New York Times.
- ^ Microsoft Family FAQ: Changes to family features
- ^ Viswav, Pradeep (December 16, 2015). "Microsoft makes several changes to family safety features in Windows". Microsoft-News.
- ^ Muntenescu, Florina (January 3, 2010). "Enhance Parental Controls with Windows Live Family Safety". Digital Life.
- ^ Blecherman, Beth (August 10, 2012). "TechMama: Take Charge of Windows 8's New Parental Controls". LAPTOP Magazine (Tom's Guide).
- ^ Rubenking, Neil J. (December 7, 2010). "Windows Live Family Safety 2011". PC Magazine.
- ^ Skinner, Carrie-Ann (March 21, 2011). "How to use Windows Live Family Safety. We demonstrate parental controls with Windows Live Family Safety, free software that helps keep your children safe from the dangers of the web". PC Advisor.
- ^ Sohn, Phil (July 16, 2010). "What's new with Family Safety?". Windows Live™ - The Windows Blog. Microsoft. Archived from the original on July 21, 2010.
- ^ Brandon, LeBlanc (August 20, 2009). "Updated Version of Windows Live Family Safety Released". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012.
- ^ Strommen, Daniel (January 23, 2020). "Turning off online management of Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 parental controls". Microsoft.
- ^ Windows Help Article: Keep your kids safer on the PC
- ^ Brink, Shawn (June 14, 2012). "Family Safety Requests - Send and View in Windows 8". Ten Forums.
- ^ "Changes to family features". Microsoft.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
- ^ Brink, Shawn (December 19, 2015). "How to Manage Screen Time Settings for Child in your Microsoft Family". Ten Forums.
- PC Magazine.
- ^ Windows Help Articles: Put money in my child's Microsoft account
- ^ Brink, Shawn (December 17, 2015). "How to Find Your Child in Microsoft Family on a Map". Ten Forums.