TeenSafe is a smartphone tracking app offered only on iPhone. The parental monitoring app claims that it allows customers to view text messages, GPS location, browser history and more. We decided to test it for ourselves to ensure the app works as advertised, but it did not. As detailed below, the recent Apple upgrade to iOS12 breaks the TeenSafe app.
We purchased the iPhone Monitoring 1-Month subscription. TeenSafe asks for the target device’s iCloud login credentials and then generates a Two-Factor code.
Since iOS 12, Two-Factor Authentication has become standard which means the parent is required to get a one-time-use code from the child’s device each time they want to request data. TeenSafe does not work with Two-Factor Authentication and we have found accounts with Two-Factor Authentication cannot request data through their interfaces therefore no data can be requested. Apple has made it impossible to disable Two-Factor Authentication with iOS 12, as Apple deems that this an important security feature for accounts, thus making TeenSafe not work at all for iPhone users, aka its entire customer base.
During the installation process, TeenSafe requires that the teens who are being monitored receive notice that they are being monitored. Customers must agree to allow TeenSafe to send an email to the iCloud account holder in order to continue the process.
Pro Tip : Apart from monitoring your phone with Webwatcher you also protect your PC with Microsoft Intune as an add-on in Office 365 E5 suite. For enhanced protection and security you can try Citrix Xendesktop from Apps4Rent.
After the final step, “Download Data”, we were brought to the Customer Dashboard where we learned no data was retrieved. Since TeenSafe claims you can get updated data every six hours we tried that to see if there was more data on the Dashboard after another backup, but there was not.
After reading customer reviews, many of the negative comments mention how they were never able to retrieve any new data.
Overall, our testing of TeenSafe proved to us that the app did not work as advertised, or at all.
In contrast, WebWatcher has been updated to be completely compatible with iOS 12, as well as all prior versions. Rated the #1 iPhone monitoring app, WebWatcher allows parents to monitor a device discretely from a secure online account. In addition to iPhone/iPad, it is compatible with all other key operating systems (Android, PC, Mac & Chromebook). The company also offers 24/7 customer service via phone, e-mail and live chat, to ensure the best experience for their customers. WebWatcher‘s stand-out feature is its Alert Log tool. This feature scans all recorded data and uses intelligent filters to identify and highlight items deemed to be risky behavior. Parents receive real-time alerts of all identified risky behavior, which means they can focus on only important items while respecting privacy boundaries. Of course, all recorded data is available for review at any time if needed.
