Are you worried about what your child might see or do on Reddit? Reddit is a popular platform where people share all kinds of content. While some of it can be fun and helpful, other parts can expose your child to inappropriate material or bad influences. As a parent, it’s important to keep your child safe online. In this guide, we will show you a step-by-step guide on how to block Reddit on all devices. So you can have more control over what your child sees and does on the internet.
How Can Reddit Be Harmful to Kids?
While Reddit has positive communities, there are also groups that share inappropriate content. However, this popular platform can raise the question for parents: “Is Reddit safe for kids?”. The fact is that kids are likely to come across violent images, offensive language, or harmful content on Reddit. Some users even encourage dangerous behavior, like risky challenges or harmful habits. Reddit’s chat feature can also allow strangers to message your child, which can lead to online grooming or bullying.
Additionally, Reddit doesn’t have strong content filters, so it’s easy for kids to stumble upon adult material, which, according to an article in 2022, could affect their mental health. That’s why it’s important to take steps to protect your child from the potential dangers on Reddit.
How to Block Reddit on Android?
If your child has an Android device, there are many ways you can restrict their access to Reddit on their device. Here’s how you can do it:
- Use parental control apps:
- Several parental control apps let you block websites and apps, including Reddit.
- Use Google family link:
- Google Family Link allows you to control the apps your child can use. After setting up Family Link on both your and your child’s devices, go to the “App Activity” section and block Reddit.
- Restrict Reddit in the Play Store:
- You can also block Reddit from being downloaded. Open the Google Play Store, go to settings, and set up parental controls. You can restrict apps by age ratings, making it harder for your child to install Reddit.
- Use the device’s built-in settings:
- On some Android devices, you can restrict app usage in the settings. Go to “Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls” and create app usage limits for Reddit or block it entirely.
How to Block Reddit on iPhone?
On iPhone devices, there are also several options for you to block Reddit for your child. Let’s look into them.
- Use Screen Time: iPhones have a built-in feature called Screen Time that lets you block apps and websites.
- Go to “Settings,” tap “Screen Time,” and set it up if you haven’t already.
- Under “Content & Privacy Restrictions,” select “Allowed Apps”
- Block Reddit by either blocking it by age rating or adding it directly under “Website Restrictions.”
- Use parental control apps: These apps are also available for iOS. Download one of them from the App Store, create an account, and set up parental controls on your child’s iPhone. From the dashboard, block Reddit by finding it in the list of apps or websites.
- Disable App Store access: To prevent your child from downloading Reddit, you can also limit their access to the App Store. In the Screen Time settings, go to “iTunes & App Store Purchases” and set restrictions so your child can’t download Reddit without your permission.
How to Block Reddit on Mac?
You can follow the steps we introduced for Reddit blocking on iPhone to limit its access for your children on their Mac devices. Moreover, you can also benefit from blocking Reddit in your router settings. Most modern routers have parental control settings that allow you to block specific websites. Once you block it at the router level, Reddit will be inaccessible on all devices connected to your home network, including your Mac. Additionally, you can check the browsing history on the WiFi router to see if your child has been able to access Reddit.
How to Block Reddit on PC?
Now that you know how to block Reddit on phone, it pays off to learn to restrict it on the PC, too.
- Use Windows parental controls:
- Windows has built-in parental controls that can help you block websites like Reddit. Go to “Settings,” then “Accounts,” and select “Family & other users.” Add your child’s account and enable parental controls. From there, go to “Web browsing” settings and block Reddit by adding it to the “Blocked sites” list.
- Edit hosts file:
- Open Notepad as an administrator
- Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc, and open the “hosts” file.
- At the bottom, add a new line: 127.0.0.1 www.reddit.com.
- Save the file, and Reddit will be blocked on that PC.
- Use browser extensions: There are browser extensions, like “BlockSite”. Here’s how to block Reddit on Chrome and Firefox. Simply install the extension, go to the settings, and add Reddit to the list of blocked sites.
Final Word
Blocking harmful and controversial sites like Reddit is just one step toward creating a secure environment for your child. Whether you’re using parental controls on devices, apps, or routers, it’s important to stay proactive in protecting them from inappropriate content and online risks. To make things even easier, Safes, our parental control app, offers a simple and effective way to block websites, manage screen time, and monitor your child’s online activity. With Safes, you can control what your child sees and does on all their devices, giving you peace of mind.
