Overview
The huge surge in mobile devices has dramatically changed the way that people interact in the world. Even a bit more than a decade ago, the idea that nearly everyone would be carrying the internet in their pocket would be laughable. However, technology has gotten to the point where it is so accessible and ubiquitous that even children have mobile internet capable devices at all times.
One of the challenges that this has created is finding a way to protect children when they have almost universal access to the world wide web. This access has presented new risks to our children, including child predators, inappropriate content, and cyberbullying. Pumpic is a cellphone monitoring app that lets you track your child’s physical location and what kind of mobile and online activity they’re engaging in.
Pros
The best thing about Pumpic is that you can get real-time updates on where your child’s device is. Therefore, you’ll never have to worry about where your child is at and if they are where they’re supposed to be. After all, your child is extremely unlikely to leave their device behind whenever they go about their day.
Another important feature of Pumpic is that you can monitor mobile phone usage. This lets you track calls and text messages, so you know how your child is using their device and what kind of conversations they’re having with their friends. This can help you keep tabs on your child to make sure they aren’t experiencing any cyberbullying. You can monitor or even completely block SMS messages to keep your child safe and give them the appropriate level of communicative access.
Pumpic also lets you block websites that have harmful or inappropriate content. This keeps your child safe from the more dangerous and adult-themed parts of the internet that they don’t need to be exploring. You also get reports about their browser history, so you can see what kind of websites they’re going to. Therefore, you can determine if they’re using the internet in an appropriate fashion or if they’re engaging in risky or dangerous behavior.
Cons
One of the biggest issues with Pumpic is that it only works on mobile devices. Therefore, you won’t be able to use it to track your child’s activity across different devices. This allows them to circumvent some of the controls that you want to impose to keep them safe.
Additionally, the service is a bit pricey when you compare it to similar programs. The subscription service costs $39.99 per month if you are on the month to month contract. You can get a better deal if you agree to a longer subscription, but that requires a longer commitment to a program that may or may not work for you.
Verdict
Pumpic is a good-quality parental control program for most families. However, you can probably find the same level of service at a more reasonable price. Moreover, you should also be able to find another program that works across all of your child’s devices so that you can keep everything in one nice, easy to use package.