An Internet of Things start-up helps parents control kids' screen time
NEW YORK—As a parent who too often finds myself struggling with the kids to get them to turn off their phones, tablets and computers when they should be asleep or studying for a math test, I sure hope Screen works as promised.
Screen is a New York startup that lets parents automatically or remotely turn off all the electronics that the youngsters are either over-using, or using at inappropriate times. And it doesn't matter where the kids are using those devices.
Screen not only claims to turn off those phones, tablets and Windows computers, but by connecting a special Screen box, it can also shut down the TV, set-top box and game system.
You as the parent can control and modify the screen-time limits from an app on your own Android or iOS devices (but oddly not from an app on a computer or a Web browser).
Most parents can relate to the problem that Screen is trying to solve.
Your kids are constantly texting up a storm or glued to Minecraft hours on end. Common Sense Media says kids average six hours of daily screen time, excluding hours for school and homework, and teens average almost 9 hours per day. And a typical home may have a dozen or so devices the kids might use.
The idea of a time blocker isn’t new of course, but Screen’s solution is both hardware and software based and meant to be holistic, kind of an Internet of Things (IoT) way of tackling the issue.
Company creator Tali Orad, who is a mom and software engineer, and who demonstrated Screen to me, says she doesn't want to have to police her kids. In fact, she is building Screen around the idea that parents and kids can come to a mutually-agreed upon set of rules for when devices should be turned off, including the parents own devices.
You can establish different sets of rules for different devices at different times. For example, you might let the kids use the computer for homework for a couple of hours each school afternoon, while shutting down their game console and smartphone at the same time.
Family members are even encouraged to sign a family agreement set of ground rules and share them via email or social media. I can only hope familial negotiations go more smoothly than, say, your routine Congressional debate.
Once the rules are set-up and Screen is installed on the kid devices, they reside there (password protected) and remain in effect until the parent makes a change. Screen works independently of Wi-Fi and of cellular connections. So if Junior needs extra time on the computer when the homework rule is in effect, you can give him that, but the computer must connect to the Internet to receive the parental update.
Controlling a TV, set-top box or game console via Screen works a bit differently. Parents must connect a small Screen box to those devices via HDMI. From then on you can control time limits from the app on your phone, just as you do for the kids’ other devices. You'll get notified if your kid yanks out the HDMI cable.
If the kids really do try to abuse their privileges, a feature lets a ticked off parent “shake” their own device to turn off all the other devices Screen is controlling immediately.
Kids receive a custom warning prior to their devices shutting down, giving them a chance to finish what they were doing (e.g. "Sam, 5 more minutes on the iPad. Save your game.”)
Parents can also monitor their kid’s location using the Screen app, and view the apps that the kids themselves had open on their devices. But Screen doesn't actually block or restrict any content, at least not yet. The capability is on the company’s future roadmap.
Screen started taking preorders today at www.getscreen.com at a discounted price of $99 (after which it jumps to $139). The product is meant to ship mid-year.
Warning to my kids: I plan to test Screen out when it becomes available.
Email: ebaig@usatoday.com; Follow USA TODAY Personal Tech Columnist @edbaig on Twitter