Internet Parental Controls

Stay safe with broadband controls and keep your child safe online

It's official: parents are anxious about the internet.

• More than six in 10 parents are concerned about their children sharing personal data online
• Over seven in 10 are afraid of their children seeing inappropriate adult content online
• Over half of parents are worried about their children doing something online which could damage their reputation, either now or in the future
• Both parents and children are losing confidence in their ability to distinguish real from fake content in the age of AI

The latest Ofcom report on media use and attitudes among parents and children also reveals concern around upsetting images, money-making scams, and the possibility of online bullying.

It's enough to make you want to shut off the WiFi and send the kids to play outside. Instead, take some time to educate yourself on the best ways to protect your kids. As a parent, your role is bigger than just shielding children from potential risks. It's also about helping them benefit from the positives of being online and develop the information literacy skills they need for life.

Key points

• Broadband parental controls are a useful tool to filter the online content your children can access
• Most broadband providers offer some kind of online safety settings - take the time to familiarise yourself with what your provider offers
• You can't 'set and forget' parental controls - they're never 100% effective, so you still need to supervise young children online
• Keep talking to your kids about online safety in an age-appropriate way and let them know they can talk to you if they see something that upsets or worries them

What are broadband parental controls?

There are many different types of parental controls for different types of technology. Broadband parental controls block unwanted content at the point of connection, so devices on your home internet can't access those sites.

You'll have a customer account with your internet provider to download bills, access support through webchat and so on. Broadband parental controls are usually set up through that account. Each provider has a different setup, so start by logging in and seeing what you can find in Settings.

What features do broadband parental controls typically offer?

Parental controls from broadband providers work by preventing access to certain types of content, so they mainly work by using automatic filters and manual blockers.

Content filters

The most basic function of broadband parental controls is to block websites or streamed content so that devices using that connection can't access them. They usually do this by what category the site seems to fall into.

Your internet service provider (ISP) probably uses software that tells them what domain names and keywords to block, which will update regularly as new threats appear.

Some providers offer different levels for parental controls. For example, BT has strict, moderate and light settings while Sky lets you choose different age restrictions for your Sky Go streaming services.

Broadband content filters are usually:

• Customisable so you can choose to block individual sites the default filtering lets through, or unblock ones it blocks
• The same for every device because they operate at the level of the whole household's internet connection

Some ISPs offer an extra feature where you can tailor the content filtering by user or device. This is usually a paid add-on to your broadband package, like Sky WiFi Max. Try the basic parental controls from your provider first before deciding if you need an upgrade.

Website-specific controls

Most broadband parental controls let you manually block specific sites.

Many of the most popular platforms require you to be at least 13 years old to have an account. In the UK, under-13s aren't officially allowed on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more. That doesn't mean it's impossible for younger kids to sign up and potentially see unsuitable material or be contacted by strangers. There are new rules coming in soon requiring tech firms to do more effective age checks. For now, as a parent, you might want to just block sites that are the wrong age category for your child.

What do broadband parental controls not cover?

Broadband parental controls are very useful, but they only work at the point of your home internet connection. They won’t protect your family members if they’re using a different connection for their devices like public WiFi or the internet at a friend's house.

This is why you shouldn’t rely on just your ISP's settings to keep your family safe online. Instead, use the Swiss cheese safety model and build up layers of protection:

• Use settings that let you link your child's account to yours like Google Family Link or Apple's family sharing
• Adjust settings on individual devices
• Monitor downloads so children can't install new apps without your permission
• Supervise young kids when they're online
• Talk to older children and support them as they learn digital literacy skills

Screen time limitation

This is more about wellbeing than online safety. Screen time features remove internet access either after a certain amount of screen time or at specific times of day.

Setting limits on your kids' screen time is one way of making sure they have enough time for sleep, studying and enjoying themselves offline. This isn't a standard feature of most broadband parental controls, so try exploring the various apps and operating system settings out there, like Apple's Screen Time.

Statutory protection

This isn't much to do with broadband parental controls, but it's good news for online safety. As of July 2025, Ofcom is bringing in new legal requirements for anyone providing an online service that is likely to be accessed by children. This builds on existing rules put in place to protect children from online harm. The new measures require tech firms to:

• Adjust their algorithms so children are less likely to see harmful content
• Make their age checks more robust
• Make it easier to flag up unsuitable content
• Give children more control over their online experience so they can block unwanted contact

Staying safe online with broadband parental controls

As you've read, the parental controls settings from your broadband provider are just one item in your toolkit. Here's more detail on those other ways to keep your family safe online.

In-app safety features

Some apps and content platforms have a child-friendly mode that blocks unsuitable content. This is nothing to do with your broadband provider - it's controlled within the platform's own settings.

YouTube is a great example, with two options for children of different ages.

• YouTube Kids was specifically created for fairly young children and has options to let you adjust the content level by age
• The YouTube supervised experience is for older children needing an age-appropriate experience

When your child asks to download a new app and you're making sure it's suitable, this is one of the things to check for.

Don’t over-block

If your broadband parental controls have different levels, don't automatically opt for the strictest setting thinking it's "the safest". You could end up blocking a lot of perfectly safe and potentially useful websites. If the parental controls on your system are so strict you can't access websites you need for work or the children's homework, you’ll have to adjust the settings.

Tailoring your controls

Some broadband providers let you tailor their parental control settings by device and/or user. This can be very useful for a household with a mix of ages and online activities.

Monitoring

You can use parental control software to track what sites your child is visiting and how long they're spending on them. It's usually done through a third-party app rather than through your broadband parental controls.

This kind of software comes with its own serious risks. A UCL study found some apps went beyond their intended purpose to track location, listen in on phone calls and take screenshots of online activity. This means sharing a lot of your children's personal information with a potentially insecure or untrustworthy source. If you're going to use monitoring software:

• Ask which activities you really need to track
• Do your research when choosing an app
• Read online reviews from trusted sources
• Download it from a genuine source like the Google Play store
• Tell your child why and how you're monitoring their online activity

How to set up broadband parental controls for main providers

Most broadband providers in the UK offer some kind of parental controls as standard.

TalkTalk broadband parental controls

TalkTalk's inbuilt online safety feature is called Homesafe. It's not activated by default, so you'll need to switch it on. It's useful for virus protection as well as child safety.

• Log into your TalkTalk account
• Go to Profile and Settings
• Then Security Settings

From there you can activate Homesafe and see what's currently switched on or off. If the little toggle is green, it means Homesafe is switched on. You can choose to block/unblock individual sites within the settings if you need to.

The parental controls bit of Homesafe is called Kids Safe. There's also a feature called Homework Time that lets you pause WiFi access at specific times.

Virgin Media parental controls

Virgin Media Essential Security is activated by default but the parental controls aren't switched on.

• Log into your My Virgin Media account
• Go to Account Settings
• Then Essential Security

From there you can turn on parental controls and customise it.

Vodafone parental controls

To get parental controls working on Vodafone broadband:

• Install and log into the Secure Net app
• Choose your Secure Net Home account
• Select 'Children' on the dashboard

This lets you create profiles for the children in your household and link them to specific devices.

Plusnet parental controls

Plusnet's online safety tool is called Safeguard. It's not set up by default, so you'll need to add it to your online account. Here’s how to get it:

• Log into your Plusnet account
• Select 'Broadband' from the menu at the top of the page
• Choose 'Online Security' from the dropdown menu that appears
• Close to the bottom of the page is the link you need, under the header 'Beef up your online security'

The link will take you to the settings for Plusnet Safeguard and let you see whether or not it's enabled.

How to set up parental controls on BT

BT Parental Controls come as standard with any BT Broadband package, but they're not activated until you set them up.

If you're already a customer, you'll need to remember your login details for My BT, or sign up if you haven't created an account yet.

• Log in to My BT
• Navigate to Manage your extras > Included extras
• Scroll to BT Parental Controls and click Get Started to activate the controls

Changes can take a couple of hours to go through, so be patient. To check that they're in place, take a look at your My Security Management page. If parental controls are active, the slider will be green and say 'On'.

The default setting for BT parental controls is 'light' but you can change it to 'moderate' or 'strict'. You can also customise your settings to:

• Block or unblock specific categories of content
• Permit or deny specific websites

How to set up parental controls on Sky

The main parental control system for Sky internet is called Sky Broadband Shield. Sign in to your Sky account to:

• Choose what age rating you want to set (PG, 13 or 18)
• Customise it to make exceptions for specific sites

The settings will be the same for every device on your home network. You can choose to have different settings at different times - for example, you might allow over-18 content late at night.

You'll get more control if you upgrade to Sky WiFi Max. This lets you create profiles for everybody in your household and assign devices to each person. You can also schedule periods of internet downtime when the WiFi won't work for specific people or on specific devices. For example, when you need the kids to log off and go to bed.

Parental settings on Sky streaming

If your family members watch telly through the Sky Go streaming service, you can set a Sky Device PIN that's different from your Sky TV PIN. You can use this PIN to restrict access to age-limited programmes and films on streaming.

Go to Content Age Rating and select the age rating you want. Then anyone wanting to watch content outside that rating before the normal watershed time will have to type the PIN in.

• This mostly doesn't work for live TV on Sky Go, just for streamed content
• Some programmes, mostly adult content, will make you type in a PIN even if you didn't set up any parental controls

How to monitor your child's devices

Every parent wants to protect their children online. The best way to do this is with your child's consent and cooperation, which means talking to them about what you're doing. The Safer Internet Centre points out that can become adept at bypassing parental controls - especially if they're more tech-savvy than you!

If you're using software to track your children's online activity, this should be within a context where you explain what you're doing and why. You should also explain what to do if they encounter content that seems wrong to them and make sure they know they won't get into trouble for reporting it to you.

For younger children, the best way to monitor their online activity is to fully supervise them when they're using their devices. For older children, you need to establish ground rules and find the right balance between keeping them safe and giving them some privacy. Tech entrepreneur and father Alon Schwartz writes: "Relying on cyber-spying is, in a way, an admission of failure. It’s at least a failure of communication and certainly a failure of teaching." If you wouldn't read a teenager's paper diary or listen in on their phone calls, you shouldn't be reading all their online communications either.

How to put parental controls on an iPhone?

You'll need to access two Apple features to put parental controls on an iPhone, iPad or Mac.

• Screen Time lets you track and limit time spent on certain websites and apps
• Family Sharing lets you link up to six different Apple accounts

Go to Screen Time > Family to select your child's name. Then go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.

You can sync the settings you choose across the devices in your family group.

Apple doesn't allow children under 13 to set up their own Apple accounts separately from a parent or leave a family group.

Screen Time isn't just for parental controls. Many adults use it to help with their own internet use, for better sleep hygiene or more focused work time.

How to put parental controls on an Android?

The basic parental control feature for Android phones, tablets and Chromebooks is a free app called Google Family Link. It works by connecting your child's Google account to yours.

Like Apple, Google doesn't allow children in the UK under 13 to set up their own Google account without permission. The parent gives permission through their own account, which means the child's account is linked to the parent's from the moment of setup. If your child is over 13, they can set up their own Google account and you can add it to Family Link with their permission.

The content filtering on Google Family Link allows you to block whole categories of websites like gambling sites, as well as specific sites. You can also:

• Approve or reject any app your child downloads on their Android device
• Limit screen time by locking them out of their device after a certain period of use, or during certain times of day, like bedtime
• Track the location of the device user

Google Family sharing is also handy for letting your household share paid-for Google services like YouTube Music so you get more value from your subscription.

If your child is over 13 and no longer wants to be on your Family Link, Google will let them remove their account. If they do this you'll be notified and their device will be temporarily locked.

What Is the Best Parental Control App?

In March 2025 our friends at Techradar reviewed the best web filters . Top of their list is Qustudio, which features:

• 29 filter categories
• Screen time monitoring
• A user-friendly interface

Although Qustudio's basic free version is quite good, you'll unlock a lot more if you pay for the premium version.

Also scoring highly for families in the TechRadar review was FamiSafe, which lets you safeguard up to ten devices and strikes a good balance between safety and privacy. This is a paid-for app with a very short three day free trial period.

Should I set up ISP parental controls?

We recommend that you do.

Internet service provider controls allow you to restrict content at the connection level before it even reaches the devices in your home. This makes them a powerful tool for blocking unwanted content. As you've read, they're not perfect. The sweeping nature of these controls means they can sometimes block perfectly safe sites, as well as sometimes letting the wrong content through.

They're still a great way to control internet usage at home. Almost every ISP offers some form of website filtering as part of their basic package, so it's not as if you're investing in expensive new software.

We recommend you:

• Take the time to familiarise yourself with your broadband provider's parental controls
• Make some common-sense decisions about the settings
• Use them along with other online safety measures
• Adjust the settings if they're not working for you