Would You Use This App to Monitor Your Child's Texts and Photos? I Would.
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Screenshot Credit: PicsChecker
While my children are still under age six, I already dread the day when they want their own cell phones. I understand the pros of having a cell phone which include always being able to reach your child and them always having a way to contact me or the authorities in an emergency. But the cons of giving them a cell phone scare the crap out of me, particularly at an age when they are so impressionable. I don't know what age is the right age to allow cell phones, but I do know that they certainly expand the possibilities for inappropriate texts, bullying, and other things that I want to protect my kids from. So when I saw the new app PicsChecker that monitors kids' texts and pictures, I was intrigued.
PicsChecker offers parents the ability to monitor all texts, photos or both sent to another mobile phone number or email address, and parents receive a daily email report listing this activity. Parents can also log onto the PicsChecker server for up to the minute information. Because all of the texts and photos are also time stamped, parents can monitor what times of day their children are sending texts, and make sure they aren't using their phones during school hours or when they should be sleeping.
While many people may think that this is an invasion of privacy, I disagree. Having a cell phone as a teen, tween or even younger is a privilege. And it's a privilege that can come with some danger. While 99 percent of our kids' texts may be totally innocent, it only takes one inappropriate text or photo to turn your child's world upside down or cause them serious harm. I won't be able to protect my kids forever, but by monitoring their activity, there are certain to be opportunities for teachable moments where I can explain the possible repercussions of certain scenarios. PicsChecker cannot store incoming messages as they legally belong to the sender, not the receiver.
The cost of PicsChecker is $3.99 per month which seems like a small price to pay for our children's safety. Perhaps the only downside to it is that it's only available for Android 2.1 and above, but perhaps by the time I finally allow my children to get cell phones, it will be available for iPhone and Blackberry as well.
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