In its Q4 report on the state of ICT in Kenya, the Communications Authority of Kenya attributed the growth in the internet to among other things communication, growth of e-commerce and use of the internet for utility services. The bulk of Kenya’s internet users are youth who have unprecedented access to the internet. This has in turn exposed a large number of them to cyber-crime, particularly due to the present uncontrolled nature of Internet access.
To this effect, Slovakian cybersecurity firm ESET has introduced into the market the ESET Parental Control for Android app, which provides age and category-based filters to restrict children’s access to inappropriate web content. The app allows parents to regulate the amount of time their child spends on gaming and internet browsing using the ‘Application Guard & Time Management’ function, as well as switch on the ‘Child Locator’ service to track their child’s location.
Other features of the ESET Parental Control app include the ‘Parental message’ which is allows the parents to read SMSes sent to the child and the ‘Reports for Parents’ which sends regular emailed to parents on their children’s internet usage. The app includes an added option for children to ask their parents for special permission to access certain apps or web content, or ask for extra gaming or browsing time.
ESET conducted a study in the market with findings stating that 88 percent of parents are worried about what their children can access online. 61% of these parents reported their children spent excessive amounts of time spent on devices. Despite parental fears and the move by the Communication Authority through the Child Online Protection Campaign, only few of parents have installed a parental control app to help manage their children’s online experiences.
