Bark monitor review 2023: is it the best monitoring app for parents?

What is Bark app?

Bark monitor mobile app is a software designed to help parents keep their children safe on the internet. It allows parents to monitor their children’s online activity, including social media, text messages, and emails. The app also alerts parents if their children receive or send any messages that contain inappropriate content, such as bullying or explicit language.

One of the best things about the Bark app is that it is easy to use. Parents simply need to download the app and connect it to their children’s device. From there, they can set up alerts and customize the app to fit their specific needs. The app also provides helpful tips and resources for parents who want to learn more about internet safety.

The Bark monitoring app is a great application for parents who want to provide a safe and healthy environment. It helps parents stay informed about what their children are doing on the internet. If you are a parent who is concerned about your children’s online safety, the Bark monitor app is definitely worth checking out.

Bark monitor summary review

Key features of Bark monitor:

1. Comprehensive monitoring: The app monitors over 30 social media platforms and alerts parents if their children encounter any potential threats or concerning behavior.
2. Intelligent alerts: The app uses advanced algorithms to analyze online activity and send alerts only when necessary, reducing false alarms and giving parents peace of mind.
3. Customizable settings: Parents can customize the app’s settings to fit their children’s age and specific needs, ensuring that they only receive alerts that are relevant to their children’s online behavior.
4. Continuous monitoring: The Bark app runs in the background on the children’s devices, providing continuous monitoring without interfering with their online activity.
5. Support for multiple children: The app can be used to monitor multiple children, making it a great option for families with more than one child.
6. Privacy protection: The app is designed with privacy in mind and does not access or store any personal information from the child’s device.

What we like

What we don’t like

• Limited options for customization
• Can be expensive for families with multiple children
• Some users have reported technical difficulties with the app
• Does not provide real-time monitoring, only periodic reports
• Some parents may feel uncomfortable with the level of surveillance the app provides

Bark monitor price plan

Here’s a table showing the pricing plans for Bark Jr and Bark Premium:

Note: The prices and features are subject to change.

Bark compatible platform

Note: The compatible platforms are subject to change.

Bark’s outstanding feature: Social media monitoring

Bark stands out from other services due to its advanced monitoring system. While some companies use the term “monitoring” to simply mean “keeping an eye on,” Bark uses sophisticated AI to scan your children’s online activities, including text messages, social media posts, Google Drive files, and more, to identify potential dangers. Unlike other services that only look at keywords or phrases, we analyze the context of the content.

Once you set up Bark, you can monitor your children’s social media and device activity for potential issues. If we detect a problem, we’ll send you a snippet of the message or content, along with recommended steps to address the situation. We’ll alert you to potential issues like bullying, self-harm, violence, sexual content, online predators, and more.

Our advanced monitoring system keeps your children safe online and offline without requiring you to spend hours reading every digital interaction. Other monitoring tools either restrict your child’s online activities or collect all their data for you to review manually.

What social media apps does Bark monitor?

Note: The table is based on the information available at the time of writing and may be subject to change.

Does Bark monitor text messages?

Yes! Bark Premium plan subscribers can monitor text messages, including any attached pictures, audio, and video. You can set up text monitoring on your children’s iOS devices, Androids, and even the Bark Phone.

If Bark detects any concerning phrases or media in your children’s text messages, they’ll alert you via email, text message, or in-app notification, along with a snippet of the conversation. With Bark, you can stay informed about your children’s online activity and help keep them safe.

Does Bark monitor Discord?

Sure! According to the table above, we can see that when monitoring Android devices, Bark scans for and alerts you to any issues in direct messages, group messages, and servers on Discord (text chats only). Additionally, you can block Discord on any device your children use, including Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, and computers.

With Bark, you can help ensure your children’s safety on Discord and other online platforms.

Does Bark monitor Snapchat?

Yes, just like Discord. When monitoring Android devices, Bark scans for and alerts you to any issues in private messages, group messages, and searches on Snapchat (text only). In addition to this, you can block Snapchat on any device your child uses, regardless of whether it’s an Android, iOS, or Amazon Fire device.

Screen time & content filters

Bark’s screen time and filtering features allow you to customize and block specific websites, apps, and internet services. These features can be tailored to different devices, times of the day, and school nights versus weekends.

With Bark’s screen time and content filtering features, you can:

• Block apps and sites, such as Snapchat
• Set rules for blocking or allowing entire categories of apps and sites, such as sexual content
• Schedule when your children can access certain apps and sites
• Turn off the internet when necessary while still allowing texts and calls
• Enable SafeSearch on Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and YouTube
• These features provide you with greater control over your child’s online activities, helping to ensure their safety and well-being.

How to block an app on a child’s phone in Bark?

In Bark, you can view your children’s Screen Time tile under their name in the parent app or dashboard. To customize their screen time and filtering settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the parent app or dashboard.
2. Select your children’s avatar at the top.
3. Tap on the Screen Time tile and then select Settings.
4. Choose Apps & websites.
5. Use the search bar to find the app you want to manage.
6. Block it if necessary.
7. After making any changes, wait a few minutes for them to take effect.

When an app is blocked, it may experience issues such as slow loading, failure to send or receive messages, network errors, or other similar problems.

How to use Bark monitor to block a website on a child’s phone?

To customize the filtering settings, follow these steps:

• Open the parent app or dashboard.
• Select your child’s avatar at the top.
• Tap on the Screen Time tile and then select Settings.
• Choose Apps & websites.
• Use the search bar to find the site you want to manage.
  • If you can’t find a toggle for a specific site, it may be included in a category such as Social Media. In this case, Bark will show its category when you search for the website (e.g., “discord.gg”).
  • If the site doesn’t belong to a category, you can add it as an exception. Additionally, you can manage how Bark handles future uncategorized sites using the Unknown Sites & Apps category.

After making any changes, wait a few minutes for them to take effect.

Location tracking in Bark

Bark’s location tracking feature allows you to keep an eye on your child’s whereabouts and ensure their safety. With this feature, you can view your child’s location history and receive real-time updates on their current location.

In addition to providing full location tracking, Bark also offers a location alert feature. With this feature, you don’t have to open a map app to see where your child is. We’ll automatically notify you when your child arrives at or leaves a location that you’ve added, eliminating the need for constant monitoring.

Location tracking works on both Android and iPhone, but the setup process is quite different.

Differences with other monitor apps

Note: This table is not an exhaustive list of all features offered by each location tracking service, but rather a comparison of some of the key features. Additionally, it’s important to note that some features may be available only on certain pricing plans or device types.

How do you set up Bark to monitor a child’s phone?

Setting up Bark to monitor your children’s phones is a great way to ensure their safety and keep an eye on their online activity. To get started, you’ll need to first create an account with Bark and download the app onto your children’s phone.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, follow the prompts to set up your children’s profile and connect their phone to your account. Bark will then begin monitoring your children’s texts, emails, social media activity, and more, alerting you to any potential issues or dangers.

While Bark is a powerful monitoring mobile app for keeping your children safe online, it’s not a substitute for open communication and trust between you and your children. Be sure to talk to your children about the importance of responsible online behavior and encourage them to come to you with any concerns or issues they may have.

With Bark and a little bit of effort, you can help ensure your child stays safe online and enjoys a positive and healthy relationship with technology.

FAQs about Bark monitor

FAQs | Bark monitor review 2023

Conclusion

The “best” monitoring app for parents can vary depending on individual needs and preferences. Bark is a popular and well-regarded monitoring app that offers comprehensive features for monitoring and protecting children’s online activity. It utilizes advanced AI algorithms to analyze content and provide alerts for potential safety concerns. However, it’s always a good idea to research and compare different monitoring apps to determine which one aligns best with your specific requirements and values. Reviewing features, pricing, and customer support can help you make an informed decision.