Human Mobile Devices, also known as HMD Global, has launched a smartphone that is tailored for online safety.
HMD Fuse appears to have been designed with the little humans across the world in mind. For starters, this smartphone comes with no access to social media, browsers, or any form of app store.
It only comes with essential apps, and these too have limitations. It would not be a phone without the call and text apps. These two features are dependent on a contact list that needs the approval of a parent or guardian.
“Contact whitelisting means kids can only have phone calls and SMS chats with pre-approved phone numbers. If unknown individuals try to call or text them, they simply won’t get through,” the company writes in a blog post.
The HMD Fuse includes location tracking features, allowing a guardian to set up to 10 safe zones. You will receive instant alerts when your child enters or leaves these zones. You can also track their live location and view a three-day history of their whereabouts.
Once parents or guardians feel the child is ready to use other apps, they can allow their child access to the Google Play Store. The caveat here is that even with the Play Store, kids can go ahead and install apps, but the new app will remain hidden until it’s approved.
HMD Fuse HarmBlock AI
AI plays a huge role in keeping this smartphone safe for children. The HMD Fuse, protected by HarmBlock+, is the world’s first smartphone for children capable of blocking nude and sexual images from cameras, apps, and livestreams.
HMD says, “HarmBlock+ consists of parental controls and pre-trained HarmBlock AI that is consistently scanning on-screen activity, ready to block out naked content from any app or website, including the camera.”
In addition, HarmBlock+ scans files stored on the phone and automatically deletes any nude images or videos. It also prevents such content from being created by blocking the camera entirely when one tries to take a nude image.
Read: HMD, Heineken to Launch “Boring Phone” for Digital Detox and Interactive Nights Out
Built directly into the device’s operating system, HarmBlock AI is a local security feature that cannot be bypassed. The AI has been trained on over 22 million harmful images, making it impossible to trick or disable.
Everything is controlled from a linked parental device. The Parental Control app works across iOS and Android devices.
HMD Fuse is seen as a smartphone that grows with a child, with features made accessible when the guardian deems it right.
