Comprehensive parental controls are a common feature in operating systems like Windows and OS X, but they’ve been notably lacking from Android. Quality third-party solutions are also lacking (there has been just one free option), leaving parents with few options.

To fill this gap, Symantec is now offering a free app called Norton Safety Minder. All of the usual parental control features are offered including online activity reports and the ability to block websites (via the default browser). These basic features can be used by anyone free of charge.

SMS/MMS and app monitoring is also available, making it possible to see who your child is texting and what they’re saying. Or, if you don’t want to be a creepy parent, you can proactively restrict your child’s ability to send text and media messages to certain contacts.

Only users with a Norton Online Family Premier account can access the SMS/MMS and app monitoring features. You’ll have to shell out $29.99 for the first year of your subscription and $49.99 every year after. Buying the subscription gives you access to Norton’s parental control software for PCs and Macs as well as the Android app, so the price is more reasonable than it sounds.

Norton Safety Minder is compatible with Android 2.2 and 2.3 and requires four megabytes of free storage.

Source: PC Magazine