# Parental controls to make DC the endorsed app for children and families alike

**URL:** <https://support.delta.chat/t/parental-controls-to-make-dc-the-endorsed-app-for-children-and-families-alike/4409>\
**Category:** Feature Proposal\
**Tags:** bot, security, user-interface, chatmail\
**Created:** [December 5, 2025, 12:38pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/parental-controls-to-make-dc-the-endorsed-app-for-children-and-families-alike/4409 "2025-12-05T12:38:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 1

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**Author:** ![ian](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/ian/32/3164_2.png) [@ian](https://support.delta.chat/u/ian)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 12:38pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/parental-controls-to-make-dc-the-endorsed-app-for-children-and-families-alike/4409/1 "2025-12-05T12:38:31Z")

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Could we perhaps seek a grant for this?

- (1) A separate, child-friendly version of the Delta Chat apk should be built. A parent would install this one for their child and lock down further installation on the device.
- (2) The child would not be able to message any other person or join a group outside the allow list managed by the parents. The allow list may contain rules for both users and hostnames. Scanned contacts would first be forwarded to the parents for approval before adding.
- (3) Any invite coming outside the allow list should be either ignored or forwarded for approval.
- (4) Only WebXDC present on an allow list by the parents may be used.
- (5) The disappearing messages timer should not be set to shorter than 1 week to maintain evidence in case parents come for daily check-up. Remote message removal and editing may also be restricted to allow auditing.
- (6) Sending of self-uploaded or recorded media should be disallowed to combat blackmailing. The camera on the device of the child or at least its driver should ideally be removed and the parents would take photographs for the child on their own device.
- (7) Sending of stickers and forwarding of approved media such as meme macros could still be allowed.
- (8a) If server-side filtering is used instead of client-side filtering, a child should only be allowed to add an account hosted on a server managed by the parents. This may also be achieved at the router level if parents forced each device through their own VPN.
- (8b) Server-side filters could be controlled by the parents using a bot.
- (8c) The control bot may have a WebXDC interface.
- (8d) This should ideally also be possible on shared hosts by allowing to register parent accounts and for parents to create dependent accounts. Registration would be completed over a different host and IP address so it would not be present on the network level allow list on the device of the child.

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_[View the full topic](https://support.delta.chat/t/parental-controls-to-make-dc-the-endorsed-app-for-children-and-families-alike/4409)._