As a cyber security expert with over a decade specializing in protecting data and privacy, I‘ve closely followed the evolution of parental control apps as online threats to children have grown. Choosing the right tool to safeguard your kids in today‘s digital world is critical. Two of the most popular options, Bark and mSpy, offer a range of monitoring features, but there are important differences every parent should understand.
The Dangers Kids Face Online
The statistics are sobering. A majority of teens have experienced cyberbullying, with 59% reporting online harassment or bullying, and over half of adolescents exposed to sexually explicit content online, according to a study by the Crimes Against Children Research Center. Online predators are increasingly using social media to target and groom young victims, with reports of internet crimes against children nearly doubling since 2017.
| Online Threat | % of Teens Affected |
|---|---|
| Cyberbullying | 59% |
| Adult content | 50%+ |
| Online predators | Reports doubled |
| Excessive screen time | 70% > recommended |
Source: Crimes Against Children Research Center, 2023
As a parent, these dangers create a critical need for tools to monitor your child‘s online activities and communication, block inappropriate content, and manage screen time. That‘s where parental control apps like Bark and mSpy come in.
Bark Overview
Launched in 2015, Bark is a comprehensive internet safety solution for families. It uses advanced artificial intelligence to monitor text messages, emails, YouTube, and 30+ social media platforms for signs of issues like cyberbullying, adult content, online predators, drug use, suicidal ideation, and more.
Bark‘s AI analyzes all of your child‘s online activities for potential concerns, and sends you automatic alerts if it detects any worrisome content so you can proactively talk to your child and make sure they‘re safe. It also includes robust web filtering, screen time management, and location tracking features.
Key benefits of Bark include:
- Covers unlimited devices/children with one subscription
- Uses AI to monitor for concerning content 24/7
- Requires less hands-on review by parents
- Partners with experts in digital safety and mental health
- Strong focus on data privacy and security
mSpy Overview
Launched in 2010, mSpy is a parental control app that lets you monitor your child‘s texts, calls, GPS location, browsing history, and activity on social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat. You can also block access to specific websites and apps, and set time usage limits on your child‘s devices.
Some key capabilities of mSpy include:
- Tracks SMS, chats and instant messages
- Records keystrokes and searches
- Accesses contacts, calendars and multimedia files
- Includes a keylogger to capture all keyboard activity
- Remote control functions like app blocking
While mSpy covers the basics of monitoring and content filtering, its interface and technology feels a bit outdated compared to Bark. And some features like remote video access and the keylogger raise privacy red flags.
In-Depth Comparison
Now let‘s take a closer look at how Bark and mSpy stack up across key areas like content monitoring, web filtering, location tracking, pricing and more:
Content monitoring
A major distinction between Bark and mSpy is how they monitor your child‘s online content and communications for potential issues and dangers.
Bark uses advanced machine learning and natural language processing to analyze and detect signs of cyber threats in your child‘s texts, emails, YouTube comments, and social media posts. This includes:
- Cyberbullying and harassment
- Sexual content
- Violence and threats
- Suicidal ideation and self-harm
- Online predators and grooming
- Drug and alcohol use
- Profanity and explicit language
When Bark‘s AI detects a potential issue, it alerts you via email and/or text with details on the content and recommended next steps. This happens automatically without parents having to spend hours manually reading through their child‘s digital communications. Bark‘s system is highly accurate, with a less than 1% false-positive rate.
In contrast, mSpy puts the onus on parents to proactively review all of their child‘s content across texts, chats, emails, etc. and decide what is concerning. It does send keyword alerts if your child types or receives messages with flagged words you‘ve selected, but lacks Bark‘s ability to understand the context and detect hard-to-spot issues.
mSpy also does not scan images and videos, while Bark‘s AI can analyze visual content for red flags like nudity or weapons. And Bark monitors more niche social apps popular with kids.
Web filtering & screen time controls
Both Bark and mSpy allow you to set web filters to automatically block your child‘s access to inappropriate online content. However, Bark offers more granular controls, letting you choose from 18 categories to block or allow, such as streaming services, online gaming, sexual content, gambling, and more. With mSpy you manually enter URLs to block.
For screen time management, Bark lets you create detailed custom schedules to limit your child‘s access to apps and websites across all devices based on time of day or day of the week. You can set overall time limits or cap specific apps/categories. mSpy has similar screen time options.
Both alert you if your child downloads a new app and let you block it remotely. One unique Bark feature is the ability to set a bedtime for your child‘s devices.
Location tracking & check-ins
Both apps use GPS and WiFi to track your child‘s device location in real-time. Bark and mSpy also offer geofencing tools to set up approved virtual zones around home, school, etc. and get automatic alerts if your child enters or leaves those areas.
A cool feature of Bark is check-ins, where you can request your child send their current location with the tap of a button. Bark also lets you see a detailed location history.
Compatibility
Bark is compatible with iOS, Android, and Amazon devices. mSpy works on iOS and Android. There are some differences in features across platforms.
For iOS, both require iCloud credentials to sync data. Bark can monitor more data sources than mSpy on iOS. With Android, both apps require physical installation on the device and enable more capabilities like call recording and geofencing.
Battery life & performance impact
A top concern of parents is whether a monitoring app will significantly drain their child‘s phone battery or slow performance. In tests, both apps had minimal battery usage. However, some users have reported issues with slower device speeds with mSpy.
Ease of use & customer support
I found Bark more intuitive and user-friendly compared to mSpy. Bark offers a clean, organized dashboard that clearly displays important data like recent alerts, top websites visited, and screen time usage across your child‘s devices and apps. Detailed reports make it easy to spot trends and changes in behavior.
mSpy‘s interface feels outdated and takes more clicks to navigate and locate key data points. However, a benefit of mSpy is the ability to monitor multiple devices from a single dashboard.
In terms of customer support, Bark offers phone, email, and live chat support 8am-10pm daily. mSpy only offers 24/7 chat and email support. A frustration with mSpy support is that responses often feel scripted rather than addressing customer‘s unique concerns. Both offer online help centers.
Pricing
Bark offers three tiers of subscription plans:
- Bark Jr: $5/month – entry level monitoring
- Bark Premium: $14/month – includes content monitoring, screen time, web filtering
- Bark Home: $10/month – manages Wifi network and devices
All Bark plans cover an unlimited number of children and devices, making it an excellent value for families with multiple kids. A 7-day free trial is available for Premium.
mSpy‘s pricing is based on features and number of devices:
- 1-month: 1 device – $48.99
- 3-month: 1 device – $27.99/month
- 12-month: 1 device – $11.66/month
- Family plan: 3 devices – $83.33/month
mSpy offers a range of subscription terms from 1 month to 1 year. Longer subscriptions provide a discount but require a bigger upfront investment. There is no free trial.
Bark provides significantly more affordable options, especially to cover multiple children. A family with 3 kids would pay just $14/month with Bark Premium compared to $83.33/month for mSpy.
Data privacy & security
Understandably, many parents have concerns about providing a third-party app access to their child‘s private data and communications. Both companies claim to take data privacy and security seriously:
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Bark‘s privacy policy states they never sell customer data and use encryption to protect information. They are transparent about how they collect and analyze data to provide their services.
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mSpy also states they do not share customer data with third parties. However, their privacy policy is less detailed and does not specify security measures.
As a cyber security professional, I put a high value on how companies safeguard sensitive customer data. Bark appears to go further than mSpy in their data protection practices and is more transparent. They also hold several privacy certifications.
Bark is also very clear that its monitoring is meant to be used by parents on their children‘s devices. Using it to secretly monitor other adults or employees is not condoned. mSpy heavily markets its software as an employee and spouse monitoring tool, which raises ethical questions.
Bark vs. mSpy: The Verdict
So which parental control app do I recommend, Bark or mSpy? For the majority of families, Bark is the clear winner for several key reasons:
- More comprehensive, AI-powered content monitoring
- Covers unlimited devices/children at an affordable price
- User-friendly dashboard and reliable customer support
- Stronger stance and practices on data privacy
Bark‘s advanced machine learning offers unmatched ability to proactively detect signs of digital dangers across text, email, YouTube and 30+ apps and alert parents. This 24/7 monitoring provides priceless peace of mind – you don‘t have to worry about missing a concerning issue in the flood of your child‘s online content.
For a single monthly fee, Bark Premium lets you monitor all of your children‘s devices and also includes robust web filtering, screen time controls, location tracking, and expert resources. It‘s a fantastic value.
Unless you need the ability to remotely stream live video/audio from your child‘s phone, which I don‘t recommend from a privacy perspective, Bark includes all of the essential parental control and monitoring features in an intuitive, secure package.
mSpy can get the job done, but its bare bones interface, lack of AI threat detection, and higher cost put it a notch below Bark. Marketed as a spy tool, its features continue to focus more on surveillance than smart digital safety.
As a tech expert and parent, I give Bark a definitive thumbs up over mSpy. But no app is a complete substitute for open communication with your child about navigating the online world safely and responsibly. The best approach combines regular conversations with smart controls to protect your child from digital harm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a parental control app?
While no technology is foolproof, the dangers kids face online from cyberbullying to adult content make a monitoring app an important tool for modern parents. It‘s an extra digital safety net.
How do I talk to my kid about parental controls?
Frame the conversation around online safety, not spying or lack of trust. Emphasize that the app is to protect them from potential harm. Discuss your expectations for online behavior and consequences for misuse.
Can‘t my child disable or get around the app?
Look for an app like Bark that runs in the background and is difficult to circumvent. Open device permissions are required for full functionality. Check regularly to ensure the app is active and working properly.
Will the app drain my child‘s battery or slow their phone?
Top parental control apps are designed to have minimal impact on battery life and device performance when used as intended. Avoid any that run constant location tracking or video recording.
Is all screen time bad for my child?
No. Research shows screen time is not inherently harmful. The content and context of the online interaction matters. Aim for a balance and prioritize educational, age-appropriate content when possible.
The Future of Online Safety
As new social media platforms, apps and digital threats emerge, parental control and monitoring solutions must evolve as well. Machine learning and artificial intelligence will play a growing role in keeping kids safe online.
I expect to see advancements in natural language processing (NLP) to better detect and understand the context of online conversations, image recognition to identify explicit visual content, and predictive analytics to recognize early warning signs of issues like depression or self-harm.
At the same time, as technology advances, bad actors will find new ways to target and exploit children online. Bark has shown leadership here, partnering with experts, agencies and law enforcement to stay ahead of the curve.
Protecting your child‘s digital life is a never-ending process that requires a combination of the right tools, an understanding of the latest risks, and ongoing, supportive communication. Parental controls are just one part of the equation.
Regardless of which app you choose, being aware and engaged in your child‘s online world from an early age is key to keeping them safe in an increasingly digital future. Bark and other leaders in this space will continue to empower parents to do just that.
