Bark - Parental Controls

Bark - Parental Controls

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Bark - Parental Controls: The "Cell Phone Seat Belt" for Your Child’s Digital Life

Protect your children from cyberbullying, online predators, and mental health risks. Monitor 30+ platforms and manage screen time with a privacy-first approach that alerts you only when danger is detected.

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Publisher

Bark Technologies Inc

Category

Productivity

Downloads

2M+

User Rating

4.2/5

Total Ratings

32K+

Locales

1

A Glimpse Into Digital Safety

Discover the interface used by 2M+ users.

Bark app screen showing online safety features including monitoring, screen time, and social media filtering.

Bark app screen showing online safety features including monitoring, screen time, and social media filtering.

Bark parental control app screen showing child profiles and activity monitoring

Bark parental control app screen showing child profiles and activity monitoring

A screenshot of the Bark app showing an alert for predatory behavior in an Instagram message to a child

A screenshot of the Bark app showing an alert for predatory behavior in an Instagram message to a child

Bark parental control app dashboard displaying activity monitoring and safety alerts for multiple children.

Bark parental control app dashboard displaying activity monitoring and safety alerts for multiple children.

Smartphone screen showing the Bark app screen time schedule feature with daily routines for school and bedtime

Smartphone screen showing the Bark app screen time schedule feature with daily routines for school and bedtime

Screenshot of the Bark app showing website and app filtering settings to manage access to games and block adult content.

Screenshot of the Bark app showing website and app filtering settings to manage access to games and block adult content.

A smartphone screen showing a Bark app notification about potential safety issues on a child account

A smartphone screen showing a Bark app notification about potential safety issues on a child account

Safety Without Spying

The tools that make this app stand out, trusted by 2M+ users.

🛡️

Smart Safety Alerts

Our AI monitors 30+ apps and social media platforms for red flags like cyberbullying, predators, and mental health concerns, alerting you only when something matters.

Balanced Screen Time

Set healthy boundaries with custom schedules. Manage when your child can access the internet for school, bedtime, or play to reduce digital fatigue and distraction.

🌐

Proactive Web Filtering

Create a safe browsing environment by choosing exactly which categories or specific websites are accessible, giving you total control over their online exposure.

Review Analysis

Insights from user reviews.

Sentiment Score

16%
Negative

Summary

The Bark app receives predominantly negative feedback from users, particularly those with iOS devices, due to significant compatibility and technical issues. Many users report extreme difficulties with setup, persistent unreliability, frequent disconnections, and numerous glitches that hinder consistent monitoring. While some users acknowledge the value of its safety alerts for inappropriate content, providing a sense of parental peace of mind and even critical intervention in one instance, frustrations are high regarding unhelpful customer support, limited modern social media monitoring, and inaccurate location tracking, leading many to feel the app is not worth its cost.

Common Themes

Reliability & Glitches(23)
Setup & Usability(21)
iOS Compatibility(12)
Value for Money(12)
Customer Support(11)
Social Media Monitoring(6)
Location Tracking(6)
Child Safety Alerts(4)

About the app

Everything you need to know about Bark - Parental Controls.

Description

Bark provides families with all the tools they need to raise kids in the digital age. Our comprehensive service lets you monitor content, manage screen time, and filter websites so you can get peace of mind while your child is online. CONTENT MONITORING Bark monitors your child’s texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms for issues like cyberbullying, adult content, sexual predators, profanity, suicidal ideation, threats of violence, and more. Parents receive alerts only when something potentially problematic occurs online. You won’t have full access to everything on your child’s phone — just the things you might need to know about. SCREEN TIME MANAGEMENT Families can set healthy time limits and create schedules for when their children’s devices can connect to the internet (through both cell service and Wi-Fi). WEB FILTERING Our web filter lets you select which websites your child can access on their devices. You can allow or block specific sites — or even whole categories like streaming services, online gaming, sexual content, and more. BARK TESTIMONIALS • "My wife and I LOVE Bark. We've had some tough but productive conversations with our 13-year-old son. It's proving to be extremely valuable." — Josh L. • “It’s just another set of protections we as parents give our kids for the digital environment (or as my 10-year-old calls it, a “cell phone seat belt”). My oldest is a 9th grader, and while I trust her, I’ve come to realize through the alerts that some of her friends aren’t truly her friends. It’s led to some amazing conversations about choosing friends wisely and recognizing toxic people. While she wasn’t for Bark at first, she’s since said she’s grateful that I saw those messages because it reaffirmed what she was feeling but didn’t know how to verbalize without sounding sensitive.” — Bark Parent • "Bark notified me that my young daughter had unknowingly revealed her phone number to strangers on Twitter. The fact that Bark notified me was impressive and led to an informative discussion with her the same day." — Jon B. • “Since Bark alerted us to the suicidal language used in the Google doc that was being used in a chat document with a friend, we have seen both a pediatrician and a licensed counselor. We are hopeful for a positive outcome. Thanks to Bark for letting us peek into our child’s mind!” — Bark Parent • “This app is a lifesaver! It has allowed us to catch so many “red flags” in the content my kids have accessed on their devices and in their interactions with friends and other people online that I wouldn’t have ever known about otherwise. The big difference between Bark and other “Parental Control” software is that Bark allows your kids to have so much more privacy. It doesn’t show you everything they do, but sends an instant alert regarding any activity that might be concerning. Highly recommended!” — Bark Parent With Bark, you can help keep your kids safe both online and in real life. Try it out for seven days absolutely free! Our Family Online Safety Specialists are standing by to help answer any questions you may have. Email help@bark.us or visit help.bark.us to get answers and advice from the Bark Team. Terms of Use https://www.bark.us/terms

Latest Version

5.5.1

Size

21.8 MB

First Released

Sep 25, 2019

Give Your Child a Digital Seat Belt Today

Join over 2 million families who trust Bark to balance privacy with protection. Start your 7-day free trial now and gain the peace of mind you deserve.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Bark - Parental Controls

What is Bark - Parental Controls?

Bark is a comprehensive online safety solution that provides content monitoring, screen time management, and web filtering. It helps families protect children in the digital age by ensuring peace of mind while kids are online.

What content and apps does Bark monitor?

Bark monitors over 30 apps and platforms including texts, email, and YouTube. It detects issues like cyberbullying, adult content, sexual predators, profanity, suicidal ideation, and threats of violence.

Does Bark - Parental Controls provide full access to a child's device?

No, Bark does not give parents full access to everything on a child's phone. It only alerts parents to potentially problematic content, maintaining a balance between safety and a child's privacy.

Can Bark manage screen time for children's devices?

Yes, Bark enables families to set healthy time limits and create customized schedules for when children's devices connect to the internet. This applies to both cell service and Wi-Fi.

How does Bark's web filtering feature function?

Bark's web filter allows parents to select which websites a child can access. Parents can specifically allow or block individual sites or entire categories like streaming services, online gaming, and sexual content.

How are parents notified about issues by Bark?

Parents receive alerts from Bark only when potentially problematic issues occur online. These alerts are accessible from a dashboard, and parents are notified via text and email.

Does Bark - Parental Controls offer a free trial?

Yes, Bark offers a seven-day free trial. Families can try the comprehensive service without cost to evaluate its content monitoring, screen time, and web filtering features.

How can I get support for Bark - Parental Controls?

You can contact Bark's Family Online Safety Specialists for assistance by emailing help@bark.us. Alternatively, visit help.bark.us to find answers and advice from the Bark Team.

App information, icons, screenshots, and descriptions displayed on this page are sourced from the Apple App Store and are the property of their respective developers. Download estimates and rankings are based on MWM's proprietary models and may not reflect actual figures. This page is provided for informational and analytical purposes only.

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