Sony's new PlayStation Family App will help parents monitor playtime
Sony's new PlayStation Family App for iOS and Android gives parents another way to manage their children's playtime. This is in addition to parental tools already available on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles.
PlayStation is positioning it as a "new dedicated parental control mobile app" with a set of customizable features designed to give parents more control over what their child plays and interacts with on the consoles.
Guided onboarding will allow parents to quickly set up a child's PlayStation account, along with real-time notifications on what their child is currently playing on the console. This lets them accept or reject requests for extra game time, set restricted games, and communicate using the mobile app.
Weekly activity reports allow parents to manage playtimes with flexibility to accept or reject requests for extra time using a phone or tablet. They will also be able to add funds, view balance, and set a monthly spending limit for the account.
There are also presets that automatically apply content filters according to different age groups, and moderation settings can be customized to include or remove any content on the PlayStation Store.
Sony says it plans "to continue adding enhancements to PlayStation Family app to evolve the experience over time." The app is available to download on Android and iOS in "most markets starting today."
The new app comes on the heels for a greater push for child safety in video games and gaming platforms. Recently, Roblox found itself in hot water after it was sued for failing to implement adequate safety measures for children.
Roblox rolled out a new age verification system in July of this year, and despite the controversies, managed to hit a record-breaking 47.4 million concurrent players in August.
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