All You Need to Know About Skype Parental Control | Is Skype Safe for Your Kids?

Children often use Skype to connect with their peers and teachers for socializing and schoolwork.

However, considering that Skype is a social media platform, there’s a high possibility that your kids can contact anyone on it. So, how do you ensure the safety of your children?

This is where Skype parental control comes into play. If you want to learn more about implementing it and why is it required, read this blog!

Quick Answer: When it comes to Skype’s parental controls, you can make changes to the settings and decide who can view your teen’s profile and contact them. You can also teach your children how to block annoying accounts and educate them about online threats.

Why Do You Need Skype Parental Controls?

Every social media site is prone to cyberbullying, phishing scams, and inappropriate content, and Skype is no different. Below are some of the reasons that justify the need for Skype parental monitoring.

• Hacking and Phishing Attempts: Hackers prefer to retrieve personal data and valuable information through social media apps. Your kids may get lured into attention-grabbing links that lead to phishing scams. For example, making them order something that requires payment before delivery, but they’ll never receive it.

• Cyberbullying and Harassment: Online harassment and cyberbullying are becoming more common day by day, so you must educate your children about them and teach them how to report any bullying incidents.

• Online Predators: To contact someone on Skype, all you need is their Skype ID. You may never know that an online predator is already having a conversation with your child. So, it is better to teach your kids about such potential dangers.

• Inappropriate Content: Even messaging apps like Skype are not safe when it comes to inappropriate content. It is normal for people to share their pictures on the platform, even if they’re explicit. Hence, it is essential to have a conversation with your child to prevent exposure to inappropriate content.

It is evident that you should educate your kids about online dangers and the option of setting parental control on Skype is always viable.

How to Set Up Skype Parental Controls?

Setting up parental control on Skype largely depends on the type of account and the level of restrictions to be implied. As a concerned parent, you can take these steps:

The profile picture you add to your Skype account is visible to everyone active on the platform. You can change the following settings and make the picture visible to your contacts only:

• Open Skype and tap the profile photo.

  

• Now, scroll down and tap Settings >> Account & Profile.

  

• Now, tap Profile picture.

  

• Set the pointer to Contacts only present under Visibility.

  

For teens using Skype, it is better to remove their profile from search results and suggestions. To do so:

Scroll down and uncheck the box that states Appear in search results and suggestions.

To remove a specific contact from the profile visibility list, follow these steps:

• Open Settings and tap Contacts.

  

• Then, tap Privacy.

  

• Tap the last option, i.e. View list.

  

• Select any contact from the list and tap Delete contact to remove it.

  

It is possible to receive calls on Skype from your contacts only. To manage call settings:

• Open Settings >> Privacy.

  

• Now, turn on the toggle for the option “Only allow Skype calls from contacts to ring on this device.”

  

Blocking a contact on Skype means that a specific contact won’t be able to call you, see your info, or see your activity status on the platform. To block someone:

• Tap and hold to a specific contact from the chat screen or contact list.

• Then, tap View Profile.

  

• Scroll all the way down and tap the last option “Block.”

  

After you make changes to all these settings, you can ensure that Skype is safe for your children to an extent.

Pro Tip 💡You can set parental controls on your Microsoft account if your kids are younger than 13 and want to use Skype. Just sign in to your account and set the relevant Content Filters that limit everything your children can access.

Other Tips to Make Skype Safe for Kids

Being a concerned parent, you must set up parental controls on Skype to ensure the safety of your child when using it. But the other tips mentioned below are worth your attention if you want your kid to be safe from all kinds of potential dangers online.

• Guide Them About Appropriate Conversation: You must establish communication guidelines with your child to ensure a safe Skype experience. Have an honest and open discussion of what conversations are appropriate/inappropriate and set a limit for the app’s usage.

• State the Importance of Online Safety: Help your kids understand the importance of online safety. Develop the trust level to the extent that your children never hesitate to share any unpleasant experience on Skype before it escalates.

• Educate Your Children About Responsible Online Behavior: Teach your kids about how to use Skype responsibly. Tell them not to share any inappropriate content online, engage in inappropriate conversations, and always report any suspicious activities they come across.

If you don’t feel like giving access to Skype to your kids, you can consider various kid-friendly communication platforms.

Summing Up – How Safe is Skype for Kids?

Skype is a brilliant app that helps your kids socialize and keep up with their grades. However, there are some risks to using it, just like any other social media app. 

Depending on your child’s age, you can set parental controls and guide young minds to take all kinds of safety measures on the app.

Gaurav Rathore