Norton Family

WHAT IS IT?
​Norton Family, part of Norton’s suite of cybersecurity products, is a well-known parental control software designed to help parents manage their children's online activities. It provides a range of monitoring and restriction tools focused on online safety, screen time, and web filtering.​

Good Aspects of Norton Family

Extensive Web Filtering and Blocking​
Norton Family offers powerful web filtering across multiple categories (such as adult content, violence, and drugs), allowing parents to restrict inappropriate content based on the child’s age. It also lets parents manually block or allow specific websites, providing a high level of customisation.

Effective Screen Time Management
Parents can set time limits on devices, enforce daily screen time allowances, and even schedule specific hours for device use. This helps parents manage screen time effectively, creating structured online and offline routines.

Location Tracking
For Android and iOS devices, Norton Family includes GPS tracking, allowing parents to view their child’s location in real time. It also offers a location history feature, which shows where the child has been over a specific period.

Detailed Activity Reports
Norton Family provides detailed reports on kids' online activity, including web searches, video views, and app usage. Parents can access daily, weekly, and monthly summaries, which helps in spotting any concerning trends over time.

School Time Feature for Remote Learning
The School Time feature is designed for online learning. Parents can block specific sites while allowing access to school-related resources during school hours, which can help kids focus on educational content without distractions.

Unlimited Device Monitoring
Norton Family allows for unlimited devices on one subscription, which is helpful for large families with multiple devices. This feature is often appreciated, especially for households with kids using multiple devices for school and personal use.

Not So Good Aspects of Norton Family

Limited Functionality on iOS
As with many parental control apps, Norton Family faces limitations on iOS, making certain features (like app monitoring) unavailable or less effective compared to Android. Parents with iOS-only households may find the monitoring options less comprehensive.

No Social Media Monitoring
Unlike some parental control solutions, Norton Family lacks direct monitoring for social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. 

Interface and Setup Complexity
The initial setup can be complicated and time-consuming, especially for parents unfamiliar with configuring detailed monitoring settings. The app’s interface can also feel cluttered, and it may take some time to learn all its functions.

Limited Call and Text Monitoring
Norton Family doesn’t offer call or text message monitoring, which can be a disadvantage for parents who want to keep tabs on who their child is communicating with via their phone.

Lag and Glitches
Some users report occasional lags or glitches with Norton Family, particularly with screen time restrictions and location tracking. 

No Real-Time Alerts for Certain Activities
​Norton Family provides activity reports but lacks real-time alerts for specific behaviors like inappropriate messaging or social media interactions.