As parental concerns over digital safety rise, content-monitoring apps are booming, though researchers warn of privacy trade-offs and potential damage to parent-child trust.
Key facts
- •The parental control software market is expected to nearly triple in value by 2034 from its 2025 valuation of $1.57 billion.
- •Bark Technologies reported scanning 11 billion messages for 7.5 million children in 2025.
- •Nearly one in five children monitored by such apps reported feeling watched or stripped of privacy.
- •About one in 10 children stated that monitoring software broke their trust in their parents.
- •A 2019 meta-analysis found that children naturally disclose less to parents as they age, a process essential for building an independent self.
Parental anxiety regarding social media, screen time, and internet safety has fueled a surge in the use of digital monitoring software. While tools like Apple’s Screen Time and Google’s Family Link provide basic controls, a growing market of content-monitoring apps now scans children's texts, photos, and emails to alert parents to potential dangers. Companies like Bark Technologies report scanning billions of messages, positioning their services as essential safeguards against online threats.
By the numbers
Market Growth and Functionality
The parental control software market was valued at approximately $1.57 billion in 2025 and is projected to nearly triple by 2034. These apps typically function by installing software on a child's device that forwards activity to algorithmic classifiers, which scan for keywords related to drugs, bullying, or self-harm. Bark Technologies, a leader in the space, reports that its software scanned 11 billion messages for 7.5 million children in 2025 and is used in over 3,700 school districts.
Concerns Over Efficacy and Privacy
While some parents and companies credit these tools with preventing crises, critics and researchers highlight significant drawbacks, including frequent false alarms and the erosion of trust. Reviews from children and young adults indicate that monitoring can lead to anxiety and feelings of being stripped of privacy. Additionally, software may inadvertently out LGBTQ+ students or misinterpret benign conversations as dangerous, sometimes causing long-term damage to parent-child relationships.
Alternative Approaches to Safety
Experts like Pam Wisniewski of the International Computer Science Institute suggest shifting the focus from surveillance to resilience. This approach emphasizes teaching children to recognize and cope with online risks rather than relying solely on monitoring. Other proposed solutions include a 'duty of care' model, which would require social media platforms to implement their own safety guardrails, reducing the burden on families to manage digital threats independently.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by MIT Technology Review.
