Help with settings for DD's new mobile

[Mamahotfoot]

HI all,

I need some advice about how to set up my daughter's new mobile phone (an Samsung Galaxy A3). My daughter is 11 and will be going to secondary school shortly. We want her to have her own phone as she is likely to be travelling by bus. However I want to protect her and apply appropriate settings to try and ensure she is safe online.

When I set it up initially I linked the device to my existing Google account and therefore she can see all my content and history in apps like You Tube (not a problem to me but irritating for her). My question is how do I create a separate profile for my daughter - to separate our browsing history, but do it in such a way that I can still retain some parental control? I am not hugely techie so am picking my way through this minefield. Please help me work out what I need to do. Layman's terminology please! Thanks in advance.

What I do, is tell them I will want to check their phone sometimes. I might get them to take me through their settings, or show me who their contacts are on social media (we have a rule it has to be people they actually know in real life). I also sometimes review their internet history and photos. I do it less as trust is established and rarely now for my eldest. But I reserve the right to do so if I have any concerns. We also have a social media agreement before insta etc are allowed.

The thing is, there will always be new apps or social media, so you need to help them be savvy, rather than just monitor remotely. So, for example now Snapchat shows everyone on a map, giving away your location, but you can set it so that only certain friends can see your location. Some apps might have in app purchases or might carry viruses - ask them how have they checked if it is likely to be safe?

I know some people think checking phones even occasionally is intrusive - my point of view is that dc are still welcome to have a private diary, or have private face to face conversations or Facetime conversations with their friends - but messages, videos and social media posts are more permanent, more likely to be seen by a wider audience (non friends, other parents, head teachers...), and more likely therefore to cause issues.

I can't help you with the Samsung but my girls have fumes which we made up together and they know, understand and can recite back to me.

Don't write or photograph or video anything that you wouldn't want me, your head teacher etc. to read.
Only text things about people you would want them to read.
Remember anything can be screenshot
Don't take a photo or video with your school uniform badge, gymnastics club badge etc.
Don't be 'internet friends' with people you don't actually know in real life. This includes actual friends cousins etc.
Don't use your real name as your nickname or anything girly or childish. 'littlechick' 'Janey9'
Make sure your privacy settings are tight.

Rules not fumes...

Oh, and keep the phone downstairs and on charge from 7pm to prevent disturbed nights and increased anxiety.

Hi NeonFlower and HopeChance - thanks both for your responses which Ive only just noticed this evening. Life has gone a bit crazy in 'back-to-school' week. I am realising that this is less about the settings that I apply than the communication that I have with my daughter - so thank you for giving me your guidelines which I am going to commit to memory and use. I have absolutely no qualms about checking my daughter is safe online - but I do want to help her to be responsible herself so she knows what to do if anything untoward happens. Generally I think we have quite an open trusting relationship but she is just starting secondary and I know that this is a year when everything changes ....
And also thanks for the tip re phones not in bedrooms - Ive just removed DD's phone to a chorus of "OH Muuuuuum!" but the pinging sound of incessant texting is driving us all potty! and she is definitely not getting quality sleep while its there.
Thanks again for your wise advice