Does Bark monitor text messages?
Absolutely! Customers on the Bark Premium plan can monitor text messages, including pictures, audio, or video attached to them. Here's how to set up text monitoring on your children's iPhones, iPads, Androids, and the Bark Phone.
If Bark finds a potential issue in a text, we alert you via email, text message, or in-app along with a snippet of the conversation.
Does Bark monitor iMessages?
Yes! Bark monitors iMessages on iPhones and iPads when you follow these steps.
What texting apps are covered?
Bark monitors text conversations on the default text app of your kid's phone. This includes the Apple Messages app, the Google Messages app, Samsung Messages app, and the Messages app we have pre-installed on the Bark Phone.
For information on what Bark covers on your kid's social media and email apps, click here.
Can I see a comprehensive list of all my kid's texts and pictures?
No. While families don’t get access to every single message a child sends, Bark does send alerts for issues like bullying, self-harm, and sexual predators detected in your kid's communications (learn more). This includes a copy of the alarming content, as well as recommended actions to help you handle the situation. Here’s some tips on how to talk to your child about Bark.
How quickly are alerts about texts sent?
Due to the large volume of data the algorithms are analyzing, not just for keywords, but actual conversational context, the analysis is not instant. However, our system is much more likely to catch actual issues (learn more).
Does Bark analyze deleted text messages?
In some cases, yes. While Bark will not show all deleted text messages in a list for you, Bark can analyze and alert you to concerning content found in some deleted texts. Because Android is a more flexible operating system for app developers, our ability to analyze deleted texts is much higher if your kid uses an Android device rather than an iPhone.
Consider the Bark Phone, which doesn't allow the child to delete text messages at all without your permission!
Can I block text messages, block contacts, or block phone calls?
With the Bark Phone, yes! Learn more about these features.
On other devices, no. While you can block the internet to any app and site, Bark cannot block text messages, contacts, or phone calls on those other devices. Text messages and phone calls use a different technology that can't be filtered by Bark on those other devices at this time.
If your child's text messages are being blocked on your child's device (and it's not a Bark Phone), it could be due to a couple of reasons. Let's fix it together.
Also, did you know that you can set communication limits on your kid's iPhone or iPad? These free features from Apple allow you to set limits on what contacts can text or call your child's iPhone or iPad.
