Qustodio Review: How to stop kids from seeing porn
Unsure about which parental control software to use? Read this Qustodio review to find out if it’s the right one for how your family uses the internet.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure here.
This blog post is a review of the Qustodio app and how it can help to protect your child from exposure to porn.
And because I am a parent and not very technology-savvy (I still don’t know how to change channels on our TV), this review will be very practical (and not technical!).
Remember, I’m not a cyber safety expert (and I don’t pretend to be).
If you’d like to learn more about parental controls (and why you might need them), please read this blog post, where I talk about parental control software.
You’ll find more information about porn in my Pornography 101 page.
Let’s get started!
Video Review
What is Qustodio?
Qustodio is software that you install onto your desktop computer, laptop, smartphones and/or tablets. You don’t need to buy special equipment (like a router) to use it.
It works on Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iOS, and Kindle.
How do you install Qustodio?
It’s pretty simple. (Yes, even I managed to install it!)
You just download an app to your phone, download a program to your computer or log into the Qustodio Family Protection Portal through your internet browser.
You need to install it on your personal computer or device. This way, you can control the settings. Having it on your phone means you can quickly make changes when you are out and about.
You’ll also need to install it onto any devices your child uses.
If you have problems installing, just contact customer support or visit their help page. I found them very helpful!
TIP: The app on your phone is permanently logged in. This means that if you don’t have your phone locked (or your kids know how to unlock your phone), it will be easy for them to go in and change the settings.
What does Qustodio do?
There are a number of different things that Qustodio can do.
These are the things that I like about it!
Now, a word of caution. Depending on your parenting style (and each individual child), some features you will like and some you won’t. So just switch off the features you don’t want to use, like monitoring their calls and texts.
Blocks inappropriate content. So your child can’t access websites you don’t think are suitable. You can block by category (e.g. porn, guns) or by the site (e.g. youtube.com or redtube.com).
Balances screen time. So you can control when your child watches the internet and for how long. For example, my son can’t watch YouTube during the week, but he can play Spotify before and after school.
Controls online games and apps. So you can control what they are playing on and for how long. For example, I have set a 24-hour ban on YouTube during the week and allowed 3 hours on weekends.
Monitors activity. So you can see what they are doing when online and decide if they need to have more balanced use. For example, my son spends waaay too much time on YouTube, so I now restrict his access. This means he now spends more time building things on Minecraft (which requires creativity, problem-solving, and self-direction instead of the mindlessness of just watching videos).
Monitors social media networks. So you can see how much time they spend on social media, like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more.
Advanced Social Monitoring (that comes with the paid plan) where you can track what your child writes on Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, chats on Facebook and with whom, but it is not possible to read the actual conversation.
All other social networks or apps, such as Skype, Instagram, Kik, etc., can be monitored with Qustodio as any other application. However, Qustodio will not reveal what was said or exchanged between users on these apps or networks, only when the app was used and for how long. It is possible to completely block these apps or set a time limit for each.
Monitors calls & SMS. So you can see who your child calls or texts, read messages they send and receive, and set a list of blocked contacts. (You have to set this up to happen.
Family Locator. So that you know where they are out with their device.
What does Qustodio look like inside?
I’ve made a video where I’ll take you inside the dashboard of the Qustodio Family Protection Portal. (The video is at the top of this page)
I’ll show you the settings that I have made for my youngest child, and you’ll be able to see the different ways that you can use Qustodio.
At the time of recording, my son was a 13 year old who was super curious and spending a lot of time on YouTube. And my daughter was a 16-year-old who was pretty mature and level-headed, but she did spend a lot of time playing Sims, watching Netflix and chatting with a small circle of friends via Messenger.
I have also tested Qustodio, in regard to typing in search terms that usually bring up porn, as well as attempting to visit a porn site! And yes, it did block the sexually explicit stuff!
Will my child know that I’m using parental controls
Find practical tools to educate kids about porn & internet safety in the Sex Ed Shop
That’s up to you.
You can set it up on their device and hide it so your child doesn’t know.
Or you can set it up with their full knowledge!
But I’d like to suggest that your child knows it is installed. Being open and honest with your child means that they feel safe to talk to you about their experiences online.
So let your child know that you have installed parental controls, and ask them to sit with you and look at what you can see about their online activity. My son was surprised at how much time he was spending on YouTube. Looking at the data has made him more aware of how much online time he had and where he spent that time.
Plus, it is a great way to start conversations about internet safety. Since we have installed Qustodio in our house, I have had a lot more discussions with my kids about internet safety.
Looking for more porn & internet safety resources? Then visit my Porn 101 page!
More porn and internet safety resources
My Internet Safety Rules! Poster Set will help protect your children by instilling basic rules to save them from making common mistakes. They’re basic guidelines about interacting with people (only those we already know), taking pictures (after asking permission), and trying new apps or games (only after checking with you first). Put up one poster or more, familiarise yourself with the rules, and regularly remind your children about them. They’ll become engrained throughout the family and offer valuable protection around the kids while they’re safely exploring the digital world.
My Online Safety Activity Pack introduces the basic “rules” for online safety… and the best part is that most kids won’t even know they’re learning! It’s a printable activity book to keep your kids safe online and be smart with screen time.
My Tech Check Workbook (for parents) will help you do a step-by-step check on every device in your house. It’s designed to reduce the overwhelm you may feel about this task!
You can find more resources about online porn in the Sex Ed Shop! You’ll find my Porn Safety Rules! Poster Set for teaching kids how to respond when exposed to porn (as it will happen). If you’re ready to talk about porn, then grab my crash course, Getting Started with the Porn Talk, or this one, Help! My Child has Seen Porn, if they’re already viewing porn. And if you’re worried about answering their questions, then grab the Porn Talk Q&A Book, as it has child-friendly answers to over 150 questions kids have about porn.
So what do I really think of Qustodio?
This is the second time I’ve used Qustodio, and honestly, I don’t mind it. For the moment, the protection that it provides is enough for our family. It has more features than we need, so I’ve turned some off.
And it is pretty easy to install and then set up!
Just make sure you go in and test it so that you know how it works and that it works properly. For example, I looked for porn on my teenage son’s tablet and found it. I then went and checked the settings and realised that I hadn’t blocked the category of porn. Once I changed the setting, porn was then blocked.
I hope that helps you out with making a decision about whether Qustodio is the right one for your family.
Happy talking!
❤️ Cath