Overview
If you have concerns about your or your child’s internet usage and location, Accountable2You might be the solution you have been seeking. It comes with configurable reporting, and alerts that can be set up for a single user, or scale up for a large group or business.
Pros
Systems Supported
Accountable2You runs on all desktop and mobile operating systems and is one of the few apps of this nature that can run on Chromebooks.
Recording Options
There is a wealth of reporting options available which covers all activity on Windows, Android, Linux, and Chromebooks. Incognito mode (private mode) browsing is also recorded by all browsers when running on these systems. Generated reports are available online at any time, and can be downloaded as an Excel file.
Accountability Partners
The app is easy to install and set up on any system, and can have unlimited accountability partners assigned to each device. Any changes to the settings can only be made with the account password, and these changes are recorded and forwarded to the devices’ accountability partners.
GPS Tracking
If you have any concerns about the location of your child, or you have places that members of your group or workforce should not visit. The current location can be shown for any Android or iOS device, and individual partners can be given access to the location of the device.
Security
Keystrokes and capturing of personal information or screenshots are not recorded to protect users. With generated reports being password protected, they are kept away from prying eyes; all communication is encrypted by the same Transport Layer Security (TLS) system a bank would use.
Cons
Filtering
Accountable2You offers no way of filtering websites or restricting the times when a user can access the internet. As with the rest of the app, only the hourly reports or the highly questionable activity text alerts are generated.
Time Alerts
The time alerts option is only available in the “Family Account” package. If you have a group or business package, there is currently no way for you to set these alerts, which is a beneficial feature missing from a superior package.
iPhone Browsing
Due to restrictions from Apple on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, the only way to run Accountable2You on these Apple products is by installing A2Y’s browser. All other browsers will not be recorded, which leaves a way for anyone to bypass the software.
GPS Location
The GPS tracking option is only available for Android and iOS devices. This leaves out a large number of other devices that cannot be tracked.
Historical Reporting
All generated reports are only stored for a period of 15 days. This requires someone to download all historical data periodically.
Verdict
For comprehensive reporting, Accountable2You does a stellar job; yet, there are still some areas where it can be improved. Adding filtering and time restrictions could possible turn it into a complete solution rather than just a reporting package.
Although the app runs on all devices, it does not have the same features on each device. This leaves an app that appears not to be consistent all the way through.