Can you answer some questions about an ipod touch?

[emer95]

My 10-year old daughter wants to buy herself one. She has been saving her money for a long time, and she's about halfway there. I really admire her tenacity, but before I let her get one I figured I had better do a little Dis research!

She wants it because of the games and music. I know you can also go online, and that's what scares me a little. I don't like the idea of her having total unrestricted internet access. We have wi fi so she would be able to go online anywhere in the house. I have parental controls on our home computer. Can I put that on her ipod? She's a trustworthy kid and she only likes to go on sites like American girl.com, but you know how easily kids can get sucked into dangerous sites.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

 

[Tinijocaro]

You can actually set it so the only way she can get online is with a password. that's the only way my kids will ever get one. I don't want my kids to have constant access to the internet-way too much stuff they can get into.

Hey-I'm from Buffalo too (Hamburg)

 

[BunsenH]

I am looking at my iPod Touch right now.

You can "Enable Restrictions" that use a 4 digit pass code (not a more secure passowrd). These functions can be restricted:

Safari (Internet)
YouTube
iTunes
App installation + purchase
Music/videos by ratings
Multiplayer Games

 

[Minnie824]

do you need to purchase a monthly service to do the online stuff though? I wasn't quite sure how that works. Also, to download the games, do you just go to itunes as well?

 

[BunsenH]

(1) do you need to purchase a monthly service to do the online stuff though? I wasn't quite sure how that works. (2)Also, to download the games, do you just go to itunes as well?

1: No service purchase required. However, you need to be somewhere with Wi-Fi access (free or paid).

2: Yes there are free and paid games available on iTunes.

 

[design_mom]

My husband has an iPod Touch and my 10 year old really, really wants one for Christmas. I was against it at first, for the same reasons you are, but after reviewing the parental controls, I think we are going to go ahead and get it.

As a previous poster said, there are certain things you can block using their “restrictions” (a 4-digit code). You can totally block the use of the Web browser (Safari). I was hoping that there would be a way to allow access to “approved sites” but there isn’t. It’s all or nothing. The other items (like YouTube) are all or nothing, too.

Even if you block the internet browser, you still need to be careful about what Apps are on it. If an individual app accesses the Internet, that is not blocked. For instance, apparently there’s a Google app that has a built in browser. You can search for something, then navigate to it within the app. Even if you block Safari, if you have the Google App, you still essentially have unrestricted access to the internet. Or, one of my favorite apps is Words With Friends (kind of like Scrabble). But it works over the internet and there’s a “chat feature” to chat with your opponent. Even if you block Safari, that is still enabled. (You might be able to block that by blocking multi-player games, but then you'd lose the whole game, not just the chat.)

So, we are planning to block Safari and disallow downloading apps directly to the iPod Touch. Everything would need to be downloaded through our home computer and synced to the iPod Touch. That way, we can keep a better eye on what’s going on it.

(For what it’s worth, I discussed my concerns with my son and he’s the one who asked “Can’t you just take that off?!”)

 

[SaraJayne]

As far as password protecting a touch, it's very easy to disable and get around.

 

[Tinkermommy]

So, we are planning to block Safari and disallow downloading apps directly to the iPod Touch. Everything would need to be downloaded through our home computer and synced to the iPod Touch. That way, we can keep a better eye on what’s going on it.

My daughter has in Ipod Touch. That's what we do. We don't have Safari blocked but she doesn't surf the net on the touch because it's "too small" (her words.

She loves her Touch. She takes very good are of it and uses it more than any other gift we have ever gotten her.

We also bought her an iPanda for playing music through speakers. It is really cute and has great sound.

 

[design_mom]

As far as password protecting a touch, it's very easy to disable and get around.

How so? I understand that a 4-digit password isn't *that* secure. There are only so many combinations. But is it something the average 10 year old would likely get around? (I really don't think my son would try, but I want to be informed about the risks, if you know what I mean.)

 

[SaraJayne]

How so? I understand that a 4-digit password isn't *that* secure. There are only so many combinations. But is it something the average 10 year old would likely get around? (I really don't think my son would try, but I want to be informed about the risks, if you know what I mean.)

If that 10 year old uses the computer and knows how to google, then yes, it's something he could *possibly* get around.

I know when I was researching the Touch for my son, that was one thing I came across...how easy it was to get around the password. He was almost 13 at the time, though, so a lot different than 10.

I never bothered with the password protection (to restrict access) though he has to tell me what the new code is when he changes the passcode (to keep his sister out).

 

[design_mom]

If that 10 year old uses the computer and knows how to google, then yes, it's something he could *possibly* get around.

Thanks! I just googled it myself. It sound like if you "restore" the iPod while it's connected to the computer, then you reset the restrictions to their factory settings (off).

I don't think my son would do that... but it's good to know it's a possibility.

 

[emer95]

Thanks so much for all of the help! I appreciate it.

Hey Tinijocaro- we're neighbors! I'm in OP. I used to live in Hamburg and that's where I do all of my grocery shopping, LOL.

 

[lovetoscrap]

My husband has our WiFi in the house locked so that no one can access it without permission (passwords?). So we know that DD can't get the WiFi at home. She can still access it out of the house but currently she is so much of a homebody that we have a good grasp of where she is and what she is doing. In the coming years we will have to rethink that.

But I would think that you probably wouldn't be letting your 10 year old take their Touch out of the house without your supervision very often. If you don't have your WiFi access locked you should be doing that anyway.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Thanks so much for all of the help! I appreciate it.

Hey Tinijocaro- we're neighbors! I'm in OP. I used to live in Hamburg and that's where I do all of my grocery shopping, LOL.

See you at Tops or Wegmans!