At the same time parents need to shield their kids from the more adult areas of the internet, and control how much online time is consumed.
Add to the mix how addictive the internet can be (ever seen a teenager lose most of a day on Facebook?) and the whole prospect can be overwhelming.
Fortunately there's a simple way to take back control at a granular level.
You can set categories of of websites people are allowed to view, which is fairly common, but the Circle does so much more.
Circle will let you set time limits for how long a particular person can use the internet, and let you set a "bedtime" and "wake up time" for individuals.
Between the bedtime and wake-up time their devices can't connect to the internet. No more late-night facetime or gaming.
Individuals can also have an allowance of how much internet time per-day they get. Don't want the kids online for more than 3hrs/day? No problem, set an allowance for them and you're done.
Each person gets a customized Circle page where they can see their time allotments, how much online time they have left, how long until their "bedtime" (if set) and other information about their online habits.
Installation is surprisingly easy and the user interface is simple and intuitive.
As an added bonus Circle provides content from across the Disney family for easy access, including Disney's Instagram account and many other sources.
People may be surprised to find such a powerful technology product from Disney, but given the family focus of the company it makes sense.
Circle can be found at Best Buy, and retails for about $99 in the USA or $130 in Canada.
Happy surfing!
-The Home Geek
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