The Bark Blog                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Accounts setting sliders Bark App Updates

Bark Expands Alert Sensitivity Settings for Parental Controls on Laptops

Haley Zapal  |  June 04, 2019

Alert Sensitivity Settings for Parental Controls on Laptops Slider Bars.

The team at Bark is thrilled to announce a remarkable breakthrough in how our customers receive alerts. Our newly expanded alert settings enable Bark for Families and Bark for Schools users to adjust how sensitive our detection algorithms are to potential issues regarding parental controls on laptops. Put simply, each user will now be able to create a completely unique monitoring experience tailored to their specific needs.

Expanding Parental Controls on Laptop Alert and Sensitivity Settings

“We're extending this new functionality to parents and schools so they can have even greater customization over the issues most important to them,” said Chief Technology Officer Brandon Hilkert. “Our new sensitivity controls put an even greater spotlight on the fact that Bark's classification algorithms are the best in their class.”

Prior to this parental controls on laptop sensitivity expansion, customization was limited to universal modification — adjustments were applied generically to all activities on the account. Now, users can tailor the sensitivity for each alert type: cyberbullying, depression, drugs/alcohol, self-harm/suicide, sexual content, profanity, and violence. From their settings dashboard, users need only move the slider to the perfect spot between “Relaxed” and “Strict” for each alert type.

Sensitivity Settings for Parental Controls on Laptops Alert Message.

Giving Parents Stronger Parental Control on Laptops

At Bark, we know that no two families are the same when it comes to parenting styles, values, and safety matters. What’s a priority for one house may not even be an issue of concern to the house next door. What’s more, as a child grows up, some concerns may fall away, while others become more immediate. Our new alert sensitivity settings will allow Bark to grow and change with your child’s development — whatever their pace may be.

Greater parental controls on laptops alert customization is also handy for families with multiple kids. As always, the sensitivity settings can be personalized for each child on your account. This is similar to allowing your kids to watch a PG-13 movie after a certain age once they’ve proven themselves mature enough. It’s important to note that a more relaxed setting may result in missed issues, while a more strict setting may result in false positives. It all depends on what your priorities are.

Enabling Schools to Fine-Tune Alerts

Superadmins will also be able to adjust the sensitivity settings for monitoring on their district accounts by category. This is a huge step forward in giving schools and districts control over the kinds of alerts that work best for their student bodies. These new settings allow your administration to focus more attention on the issues that are most relevant to them. For example, some administrations may not be as concerned about profanity as they are about violence or suicidal ideation. When schools have more control over the kinds of alerts they receive, the whole community benefits.

Bark parental controls on laptops monitor texts, chats, email, YouTube, and 24+ social media platforms for signs of issues like cyberbullying, adult content, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and more. today for a free, one-week trial of this parental control on laptop app.

Bark helps families manage and protect their children’s digital lives.

mother and daughter discussing Bark Parental Controls