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Play Safe will limit the apps your child can access on Android
A new app, Play Safe, allows you to limit which apps your kids can access on your Android device.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)
As a parent, I'll admit to handing my smartphone over to one of my kids to keep them entertained from time to time. Who hasn't? But, it's impossible to trust your toddler to stay within a designated app and not explore.
In the past I covered a way to prevent kids from pressing the home button on iOS devices, which continues to work great. As I started carrying an Android device, a solution for the same problem was nowhere to be found.
Play Safe is an Android app that allows you to set a predefined list of apps your child can access.
The setup process walks you through selecting approved apps for your child, along with how to unlock the app once your child is done. Right now, you press and hold on the Play Safe logo for 5 seconds to exit the app. According to TechCrunch, an update that introduces an unlock password on top of the 5-second delay is forthcoming.
Beware what apps you allow your child access to. If an app allows for sharing content through another app (a photo with Instagram, for example), your child will be able to leave the Play Safe sandbox and access any of the apps listed on the sharing menu.
Another great part of Play Safe is the fact that it's free, and doesn't force any ads on you.
If you're running Android 2.2 and up, head on over to the Google Play Store to download Play Safe.
