ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WHAT THE TECH?) — Even if parents use some of the available tools, kids can still get around those restrictions but they can help.

Instagram has features that allow their parents to monitor how much time they spend on the app if they’ve allowed parents to monitor their account.

To see how this works, I opened an Instagram account entering a birthdate indicating I was 17. Within two minutes of opening that account, I received multiple follower requests and two pornographic videos.

The supervision feature did not alert me on my personal Instagram account of photos or messages.

However, parents can choose time limits and scheduled breaks. When the time limit is up, they can ask their parent for more time.

Monitoring on the smartphone is a better choice.

Android devices have a “Family Link” that gives parents the ability to lock down a device at certain times. Still, that’s only good until the child turns 13 when the restrictions are lifted automatically.

They also have to have their own Google account.

Apple’s Screen Time allows parents to create time limits for specific apps or games on their child’s iPhone.

That does not block them from using the websites or apps if they go into incognito mode, parents won’t be able to see what they’re visiting online even if they check.

To block that, parents need to go into “restrict content” on the child’s device and choose “limit adult websites” which will prevent them from using incognito mode in the Safari browser.

No matter what tools parents use, kids always find a way to get around the restrictions. How? By watching other kids’ TikTok videos that show them how they did it.

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