The Bark app has been on the market since 2016, and in a short time, it successfully managed to get to the top list of parental control apps. The app’s goal is to keep children safe by monitoring their devices regularly. By doing that, it helped stop potential suicides, school shootings, bomb threats, and such, the company claims. With advanced parental control apps and timely alerts, cyberbullying, explicit content and communication with potential predators come to a stop. Keep reading our bark review to find out our experts’ opinions on this parental control software.
How Does Bark Parental Control App Work?
Parental control has never been easier with Bark – it is effortless to use it for your child’s internet safety and potential issues. Bark offers to monitor multiple social media – it covers 24 platforms and searches for harmful content.
Bark uses the most reliable security and algorithms that will detect and warn you about potential suicidal thoughts or online dangers. You will receive text alerts or an email if the app notices any irregularities. You won’t need to search through every text or post your kid makes during screen time.
When you become aware of your child’s online activity, it is not always easy to talk to them about potential dangers. However, our skilled recommendations will be of assistance during these times.
What Does the Bark App Do?
Apart from being a traditional parental control application, Bark is a tool that aims to encourage open communication between parents and children. As a result of this goal, while the app does allow you to monitor your child’s online activities, it won’t let you read their text messages, for example, as a means to ensure your child’s privacy.
Further, the app uses advanced machine learning algorithms and AI to monitor social media conversations. As a result of these advanced algorithms, the parents receive alerts of the following instances –
- Signs of inappropriate behavior
- Signs of any form of self-harm
- Cyberbullying by online predators
- Interaction with sexual predators
- Consumption of explicit content
- Any mentions of drugs or other controlled substances
- Mentions of suicidal thoughts or such content
- The use of inappropriate language
- Any changes in account activity
Bark Monitoring Features
There is an abundance of features that Bark offers to its users – social media coverage, text messages, content and email monitoring during all 24 hours of the day, seven days a week.
- The app covers anything from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Hangouts, Tumblr, and more social media platforms.
- Also, it includes Gmail, AOL, Yahoo!, Hotmail, among other email platforms.
- Text messages and email monitoring with the Bark software is simple – it will scan through any text, photo, and video for both Android and iOS users.
- All the data is constantly examined for profanities, sexting, cyberbullying, suicidal and depressed thoughts, and more.
- Web filtering tools alert you when your child consumes inappropriate or illegal content online.
- Manage screen time when your children use their devices on most social media apps or on the web. You can also set custom screen time limits.
It is not an easy task for busy parents to go through every single app your little one uses or every single text and email that they send to their acquaintances. That’s what makes this software special – it scans every word itself and only alerts you about potential dangers or harmful content as a result of your children’s online activity. As a result, it’s a great way to keep your children safe online, while giving them their privacy in the digital world.
With alerts, the parents get psychologists’ expert opinions on how to handle specific issues. The Bark monitoring app does not only take care of internet security but also your child’s safety and privacy. With its high regard for privacy, you won’t have to worry about any possible leaks.
Compatibility
The Bark app is compatible with a high number of Android and iOS devices. Android users with 5.0 or later versions can download the app, as well as iOS 10.0 or newer.
If you’re using Bark on your computer, you can install it on Mac Operating System versions 10.9 or later and Windows Operating System versions 7, 8, or 10.
Additionally, there’s a Bark extension for Chrome on any Windows, Mac, or Chromebook device.
Another compatible device is the Amazon Fire tablet, and you can download the app from the Amazon App Store.
How Much Does the Bark App Cost?
Bark is among the most affordable compared to other parental control apps on the market today. They offer two plans – a monthly and an annual plan. The good news is that both plans offer the same set of features, rather than one missing out on some. The prices are given below –
- Monthly subscription – $9 per month
- Annual subscription – $99 per year
However, if you’d like to give this app a try if you’re unsure about purchasing it, you can try the app’s 7-day free trial. It gives you access to all the features, and you can cancel your trial at any time you want.
How to Install the Bark App?
The process of installing is simple and smooth, even for non-tech savvy parents. Installing on PCs and Chromebooks is easy, and it only takes 30 minutes tops, or more if you’re installing the app for more kids.
Android installation is also problem-free, unlike the iOS process. However, we can’t blame it on the app because Apple tends to cause problems for non-iOS parental control apps and platforms. So, for Apple products, the installation process can last as long as 45 minutes.
Android
The step-by-step process is quite easy:
1. The first step is to sign up on the Bark official website and follow the instructions after logging in.
Note: Parental control is essential, and that’s why you will need to know your children’s passwords and login details — without them, you will not be able to use the program.
2. Android users have the most straightforward job — you only need to download the app from the Google Play Store on their devices, and then install Bark for kids on your kids’ devices.
iOS
Parents that use Apple products can only install the app on desktop computers to monitor their kids’ actions:
1. First, you need to install the iMazing software on your Mac, and it will automatically download the iOS backup to your device.
2. After the download process, Bark will scan the data and gather content while filtering potential threats.
Note: Anytime you can get physical access to your kid’s phone, be sure to schedule a backup. It’s vital to do it regularly so the application can scan all the content.
Pros and Cons of the Bark Monitoring App
Obviously, there are privacy concerns when it comes to your kids. It is not an easy step to decide whether to install a parental control application on a child’s device. However, if you choose to help keep your kids safe online, here are some pros and cons of choosing Bark:
✅ Monitors more than 20 social media apps
✅ Top-notch SSL encryption security
✅ No additional cost for multiple devices
✅ No additional cost for more children — whether you have one or four kids
✅ Reasonable pricing plan
✅ Remarkable customer support
✅ Compatible with both Android and iOS
❌ More difficult to set up on iOS devices
❌ Lack of screen time controls
❌ Requires your child’s passwords to login
Bark Customer Experience
- Sara, 36
I have always had trouble controlling what my 14-year-old son does with his social media accounts. I have even heard they can make secret ones! However, installing the Bark app on his phone made me feel much better. The app regularly sends alerts which helped me realize that another kid from his class had trouble with bullying. Thanks to the app, I was able to notice that on time and so report it to the principal and the kid’s parents. I feel better now that I could contribute to that kid’s life with Bark’s help.
- Denise, 42
My husband and I noticed that our teenage daughter has been spending a lot of time using social media on her phone recently, so we decided to purchase the Bark app. And I’m so happy we did! Bark saved her life, to say bluntly! We received multiple notifications that she was texting with an older person, and she’s underage! We had a serious conversation with her about predators and got some useful tips from Bark’s psychologists. Thank you for your help.
- Mark, 34
Our kids don’t usually talk to us about their problems, and it’s not easy to make them open up. I wanted to know if there was anything to be worried about, and I’m so glad to have found the Bark software. Without the app, I would have never known that my kid is suffering from depression. The app scanned some of her internet searches, as well as emails, and I found out that she has been having suicidal thoughts. With Bark’s help, my family and I got her the help she needed, and I’m thrilled to say that she’s doing much better now. Thanks to this app, my daughter is laughing and having conversations with her family again.
Conclusion
If open conversations are not present in your family, the parental control apps will help you lead more honest discussions. Bark is the first step to teaching your kids to stay safe online and the best way to protect them from the dangers of online activities.
The smooth installation process, monitoring of 24 social media platforms and email services, unlimited access, alerts, free trial, and fantastic customer support are just a couple of many great qualities that the Bark parental control app has to offer. The app keeps your child’s privacy secure while alerting you of any possible safety threats.
Our experts for parental control apps highly recommend this software to any concerned parents with the recommendation to opt for the annual plan since it’s more cost-effective.
