A short checklist to run through before installing any alarm or family app on a child’s device — written to be used regardless of which app you end up choosing.
Before you install
- ☐ Read the permission list the app requests at setup, not just at the store listing.
- ☐ Check whether location access is required, and whether the stated feature actually needs it.
- ☐ Look for a plain-language privacy summary, not just a long legal policy.
- ☐ Check whether the app shows ads or discloses third-party advertising SDKs.
Before you pair a child’s device
- ☐ Confirm what happens to a child’s data if the account is later deleted.
- ☐ Confirm whether the app requests contacts, photos, microphone, or message content, and whether those match a feature you actually use.
- ☐ Check whether the developer’s contact and company information is disclosed, not just a generic support email.
Ongoing
- ☐ Revisit permissions after major app updates — scope can expand over time.
- ☐ Keep a backup routine for anything the app is meant to help with; no app should be the only plan for something time-sensitive.
See What to check before installing an alarm app for the reasoning behind each of these, and Why WakeKids doesn’t track your child’s location for how one specific app answers the location question.