How to restrict online purchases on a child’s Amazon account?

In today’s digital world, it’s crucial to ensure your child’s safety and security while they explore the online world. Setting up parental controls on your child’s Amazon account is essential for protecting them from the risks of unrestricted online purchases. Imagine your child accidentally making a large purchase without your knowledge, or worse, encountering inappropriate content while browsing. This is where parental controls come in handy.

This article will guide you step-by-step through the process of restricting online purchases on your child’s Amazon account, empowering you to create a safer and more controlled online environment for them. Let’s delve into how you can confidently manage your child’s Amazon experience.

Setting Up Amazon Family

To restrict online purchases on your child’s Amazon account, you can set up an Amazon Family account. This will give you control over your child’s account, including the ability to limit their spending, filter their content, and set age-appropriate recommendations.

Here’s how to set up Amazon Family and link your child’s account to it:

1. Go to the Amazon Family website.
2. Sign in to your Amazon account.
3. Click on ‘Start Your Free Trial’. You’ll be given a 30-day free trial, and if you like the service, you can subscribe for a small monthly fee.
4. Add your child’s account. This will require you to provide their name, date of birth, and email address.
5. Link your child’s account to your Amazon Family account. This will give you access to all of the parental controls and features.

Once you have linked your child’s account to Amazon Family, you can access these features:

• Content filters: You can restrict content based on age, genre, and more.
• Spending limits: You can set limits on how much your child can spend on Amazon.
• Age-appropriate recommendations: Amazon Family will recommend age-appropriate books, movies, games, and other products for your child.
• Purchase approval: You can require approval for all purchases made by your child.

To activate and customize these features for your child’s account, follow these steps:

1. Go to the ‘Your Family’ page on Amazon.
2. Click on your child’s account.
3. Select ‘Settings’
4. Choose the features you want to enable or customize.

Amazon Family is a great way to help you keep your child safe and protected while they’re using Amazon. It gives you the control you need to ensure that your child is only accessing age-appropriate content and making purchases that you approve.

Setting Spending Limits and Approvals

You can set spending limits and purchase approvals for your child’s Amazon account to control their online purchases. This allows you to set limits on how much they can spend and gives you the ability to approve any purchase requests before they are processed.

To set spending limits and purchase approvals, follow these steps:

1. Log into your Amazon account.
2. Go to “Your Account” and select “Amazon Family”.
3. Select the child’s profile.
4. Click on “Spending Limits”.
5. Choose the type of limit you want to set:
   • Daily: Sets a daily spending limit for the child’s account.
   • Weekly: Sets a weekly spending limit for the child’s account.
   • Monthly: Sets a monthly spending limit for the child’s account.
6. Enter the desired amount for the chosen time period.
7. Click “Save Changes”.

To configure purchase approvals:

1. Go back to the child’s profile in Amazon Family.
2. Click on “Purchase Approvals”.
3. Enable the option “Require my approval for all purchases”.
4. Select whether you want to be notified by email or app for each purchase request.
5. Click “Save Changes”.

Once these settings are in place, your child will be unable to make purchases exceeding the set limits. Any purchase requests they make will be sent to you for approval. You can then review the request and either approve or deny it.

Restricting Content Access

Amazon Family offers a variety of content filters to help you control what your child can access on their Amazon account. You can block inappropriate content, such as movies, games, or music, based on age ratings.

Here’s how to enable these filters:

1. Log in to your Amazon account and go to Amazon Family.
2. Select your child’s profile.
3. Click on the Content Filters tab.
4. You’ll see several options for filtering content, including:

You can customize the filters to suit your child’s age and maturity level. For example, you could set the maximum age rating for movies to 7 years old, but allow access to mature content for games, as long as they are rated for ages 12 and up. You can also choose to block all explicit content, or just music with explicit lyrics. When setting the filters, you will also be presented with the option to block specific content types, including movies, music, TV shows, apps, or games.

Keep in mind that these filters are not foolproof. Some content may slip through the cracks, and your child may still be able to access inappropriate content if they know how to bypass the filters. It is important to talk to your child about online safety and to monitor their online activity.

Managing Subscriptions and Digital Purchases

You can control your child’s Amazon account’s access to subscriptions and digital content purchases through the Amazon Parent Dashboard. Here are the steps to restrict access:

1. Sign in to your Amazon account.
2. Go to the Amazon Parent Dashboard. You can find it by searching for ‘Amazon Parent Dashboard’ on the Amazon website or by going to https://www.amazon.com/gp/family/dashboard.
3. Select your child’s profile.
4. Go to the ‘Digital Content & Subscriptions’ section.
5. Choose ‘Manage Restrictions’.
6. Set a spending limit or restrict purchases altogether. You can choose to allow your child to make purchases up to a certain amount or prevent them from making any purchases at all.
7. Enable parental approval for digital purchases. This setting will require your approval for any digital purchase, even if it’s within the set spending limit.

You can also choose to restrict your child’s access to certain types of digital content, such as movies, music, or apps, using the ‘Content Restrictions’ settings in the Amazon Parent Dashboard. Make sure to regularly review your child’s spending and activity to ensure that the restrictions are appropriate and that they are not being bypassed.

Additional Tips and Considerations

In addition to the above tips, it’s important to regularly monitor your child’s Amazon account and discuss online safety and responsible online spending with them. You can set clear expectations and guidelines regarding online purchases to ensure they understand the importance of responsible spending.

Here are some additional tips to help protect your child’s Amazon account:

• Regularly review your child’s purchase history. This will help you identify any unauthorized or suspicious purchases.
• Talk to your child about online safety. Explain the dangers of sharing personal information online and the importance of being aware of phishing scams.
• Set clear expectations regarding online purchases. Make it clear what items they are allowed to purchase and how much they are allowed to spend.
• Consider using a parental control app. While there are free options, these can offer more comprehensive features. mSpy and FlexiSpy are popular paid options.

You’ve learned how to restrict online purchases on a child’s Amazon account, but remember, maintaining control and safety is an ongoing process. Amazon’s platform is constantly evolving, and their parental controls are no exception. It’s important to stay informed about the latest updates and features so you can keep pace with your child’s digital world.

Regularly review and adjust the settings on your child’s account to reflect their age and maturity level. This vigilance will help you ensure their online safety and prevent any unwanted purchases.