The Silicon Review ^Asia

Last year, Google released its Android parental control App that helps parents manage their child’s device and app usage. By giving them the basis to decide which apps they want to install for their kids. Recently, Google introduced a new attribute to their Family Link App which will feature a list of Teacher approved recommendations of educational apps for children aged six to nine.

In order to come up with this curated list of applications, Google personally worked with teachers who specialize in learning and child development across the United States on the basis of years of experience, demographics, and geographical locations to rate the content of these apps with educational value. The apps are also required to meet Google’s DFF (Designed for Families) program requirements.

Most of these apps are developed by prominent publishers like Marco Polo learning Inc., Brain Pop, Edoki Academy, etc. who educate kids about facts, figures, and interesting places around the world. Google refers to these recommendations as “nutritious” apps.

Currently, there are over a few dozen apps recommended on the feature however they do not show up all at once instead the list refreshes every week so as to not overwhelm the consumers. Over a period of time, Google plans to add more apps to the feature. Although at present the apps are free, there may be the inclusion of paid apps in the near future.

Family Link helps you create a Google Account for your child similar to your account with access to most Google services while setting certain digital ground rules by managing and monitoring screen time in order to promote the healthier app and device usage.

Coming at a time when major tech companies are focusing on the time spent on these devices and increasing number of parents being concerned that it is not time spent well, Google’s software makes for quite a vital move in the market.