The Increasing Necessity of Parental Guidance: Parental Control Industry Statistics 2023

With more mature content published online and offline, 50% of parents use parental control apps to protect their children against dangers. With these increases in the market size, the industry is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13% in 2031.

Parental controls and software enable parents to monitor and control their children's online and offline activities. This also lets parents record and filter websites and internet content. Parents can also set time limits for children and access browser history and messages. 

If you are a parent, this article is for you. Learn insights about parental controls, their industry, usage, and global statistics rate with these useful parental control industry statistics.

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• The parental control market industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13%.
• A survey conducted by Pew Research Center shows that 61% of parents are checking their kid's online profiles and activities.
• According to McAfee's study, 59% of children take measures to cover up their online activities from their parents. 
• Parental control applications are used by 50% of respondent-parents, according to a Kaspersky survey.
• Civic Science survey shows that 60% of parents limit their children's screen time today, whereas 40% do not.
• According to a Norton LifeLock Study, most parents admit that their children's screen time has increased amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The price of parental control applications in 2023 ranges from free to $300 annually.
• Above 50% of parents use parental control apps, while some state they have responsible children.

What are the Factors Contributing to Parental Control Industry Statistics?

Current trends, consumer preferences, market size, and global impact affect the parental control industry. Most of these are from social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Tiktok, which most children are hooked on.

According to Pew Research, 73% of respondent parents think it's alright for kids to have phones once they're 12 years old. This is why parents use spy apps, phone trackers, and monitoring apps to manage children's digital activity.  

In the following discussion, let's explore the other statistical trends in the parental control market.

Parental Control Industry Market Size 

The industry and market size of parental controls varies—depending on current trends. Factors such as economic situations, environmental conditions, and health conditions are some things that have something to do with recent statistics.

Below are brief insights on the continuous increase in the market size, how it affects the parental control app industry in general, and how market expansion affects the overall growth of this business.

1. At a CAGR of 13%, the global parental control industry is expected to expand to $4.3 billion by 2031

(Allied Market Research)

The global parental control industry is valued at $1.3 billion in 2021. It is anticipated to expand to $4.3 billion by 2031 at a CAGR of 13%. One of the main factors that drive the market expansion is the rising number of cases of internet addiction among children and adolescents. 

With too much online engagement of the young generation nowadays, parents worry about their children's overall well-being and want to prevent any harmful effects of too much use of devices on their children's health and physical condition.

2. By 2030, the market for parental control software will reach USD 2.48 billion at a CAGR of 10.8%.

(Data Intelo)

The demand for parental control software will continue to expand from USD 1.02 billion in 2017 to USD 2.48 billion by 2030 due to parents' growing concerns about internet safety and security and the global need for cloud-based parental control software.

With the continuous emergence and development of parental control apps, such market needs are fulfilled constantly despite growing numbers of people using gadgets for various online engagements. 

3. 67% of parents said their child's screen time increased significantly amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Business Wire)

Most parents reported that their child's screen time rapidly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic's effects on work and school, 67% of parents confess that their children now spend more time on screens. 70% use gadgets for entertainment and 52% for communication.

Reasons for the sudden increase in app usage:

• Over two-thirds of parents (63%) say they have loosened their criteria for acceptable screen use.
• 3 out of 10 parents bought a device for their child amid the pandemic to keep them engaged or fight boredom.
• 60% of working parents need more time to monitor what their child is doing online.

4. Over 60% of parents use parental control as their ultimate tracking and monitoring app.

(Transparency Market Research)

Parental Control apps greatly fulfill the needs of parents for protection against the possible effects of online activities on their children. Many offenses can be committed, such as cyberbullying, sexual harassment, online libel, and others.

The increasing need for monitoring apps enabling parents to track and control their children's online activities is one of the main reasons this software is a significant revenue generator in the market today. 

Parental Control Industry Trends 

One of the most challenging tasks as a parent is monitoring and guiding children who grow up in a modern technology world. Common Sense Media research shows teenagers use their phones for more than seven hours daily.

The following apps are the best parental control software you and your family can choose for your young ones' ultimate protection from hackers, scammers, bullies, and other online predators.

5. 100 Million parents downloaded the Google Family Link app.

(Google)

In 2021, Google recently launched a free parental control app called Family Link to keep track of family members and children. The Google Family Link allows you to set screen time limits, guide your children to age-appropriate content, secure their accounts, and protect their privacy. 

Using the app, you can track family members and get notified of their whereabouts.

6. With over 1.5 million users, mSpy has given its users peace of mind for over ten years.

(mSpy)

Promoting "a better Internet for our Children" by UNICEF, mSpy, and other providers of parental controls gave them a heads up to establish themselves as the most efficient means of children's online safety.  

mSpy is one of the best phone tracking apps today, with millions of happy customers in 180 countries. 

Parental Control App Usage Statistics and Trends 

Consumers purchase specific products depending on their needs and preferences, likewise with parental control software. The marketability of a particular online app will significantly depend on the benefits that the users are getting from it. 

Below are analyses of usage and consumers' preferences for why they choose to download (the free version) or purchase (the premium version) parental control applications.

7. 50% of parents use parental control applications to monitor their children.

(Kaspersky)

Parental control applications are used by 50% of parents who are worried about their children's engagement with the digital world. 

Half of the American parent respondents use parental control software to manage and monitor their online activities. 49% also say they regularly check their children's login activities without using any app. 

8. More than 50% of parents use parental control apps for different purposes.

(Pew Research Center)

Not only younger people are susceptible to cyber crimes and fraud but adults as well. Parents express their concerns about their kids' online activities, the personal information they share, and the people they communicate with on various social media platforms.

39% of them use parental control to monitor their social media activities. 16% of them use the app to limit the use of gadgets and other online devices, and an additional 16% of them use the app to track the whereabouts of their children.

9. 60% of parents restrict their kid's screen time.

(Civic Science)

The widespread use of technology today has a variety of positive impacts in this modern time. Online learning, easy accessibility, and digital connectivity are just a few. Still, the rampant use of such also has several downsides. 

The usage of the internet and social media sites, even for young children, has rapidly increased. In a recent survey conducted by Civic Science, over 50% of parents say they need to limit their kids' screen time. This is one of the parents' most effective actions to prevent unwanted incidents.

Global Parental Control Software Statistics 

Mobile phones, tablets, and other digital and smart devices are used worldwide. And many of them are enjoying the benefits of these devices for both parents and children. As users become younger, parental control applications are a must-have on kids’ devices.

UNICEF encourages parents to use technology to protect their children from harmful online content. Tools like parental controls, including safe search, can improve younger children's internet experiences.

10. The North American region has a parental control software market size of $350.1 million.      

(Fortune Business Insights)

The market is geographically split across North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The Parental Control Software Market study focuses on worldwide and regional analyses to help understand the users in general.  

The highest is expected from North America in the following years, with moderate growth anticipated in Europe and America. The Middle East and Africa, on the other hand, are projected to see a substantial market expansion in the coming years. In addition, the Asia-Pacific region would have the fastest CAGR overall by 2031.

11. According to UNICEF, children comprise 1/3rd of all Internet users worldwide.

(UNICEF)

Today's generations were able to learn the use of gadgets and other digital devices at a very young age. Although this can have a positive impact in the long run, this can also challenge children's online safety.

Amid the pandemic, the following UNICEF recommendations are intended to safeguard the 1.5 billion children and students from internet predators.

1. Create a shared framework with standards for the ICT and internet industries and relevant parties. 
2. Educate businesses on locating, avoiding, and minimizing any adverse effects on children's rights to their goods and services.
3. Assist companies in discovering opportunities to promote children's rights and encourage young people to use technology responsibly.
4. Propose shared values as the cornerstone of regional or national commitments in all associated businesses.

Conclusion

The parental control industry has grown significantly in the past years as more parents recognize the importance of tracking and controlling apps in monitoring their children's online activities and engagements. 

With the continuous development in technology, expect this software trend to continue to rise at its peak while offering cyber protection and online safety for young and young at heart simultaneously.