AV-TEST: Operating System Parental Controls Found Insufficient
A new report by AV-TEST evaluates the effectiveness of built-in parental control features across major operating systems, finding them largely inadequate for protecting children online.
Cybersecurity research firm AV-TEST - SITS Deutschland GmbH has released an analysis assessing the adequacy of parental control mechanisms in prevalent operating systems. The study examined Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, Google Android, Apple iOS, and Amazon Fire OS.
AV-TEST's experts tested how well the native, often free, parental control functions within these operating systems protect children from online dangers. The functions were subjected to challenging scenarios, with their effectiveness compared against seven defined risk areas, including cyberbullying, access to adult content, personal data transfer, online scams, and online grooming.
According to the test results, MacOS and Windows received the highest scores, followed by iOS. Google Android's parental control features were deemed unreliable, and those for Amazon's Kindle Fire devices were the weakest. The report states that while operating systems offer some protective features, they are often superficial and insufficient to cover all risks in the digital realm.
The investigation revealed that many parents rely on default settings without understanding their limitations. AV-TEST emphasizes that relying solely on the operating system's built-in parental controls is not enough to ensure children's online safety; additional protection and active parental supervision are frequently necessary.
The AV-TEST evaluation specifically focused on the efficiency of filtering capabilities and the versatility of additional functions. The report criticizes the existing systems' ability to filter, for instance, only pornographic material, leaving many other risk areas inadequately addressed.