CES 2024: New handset protects kids

MMGuardian is best-known for an app launched ten years ago that has helped millions of parents monitor their children’s phones. They claim it has helped prevent suicides, stopped predators, and kept children safe around the world.

At CES 2024 in Las Vegas this week, it has gone a step further: launching a physical handset that builds child protection technology and parental control solutions into a smartphone.

It has unveiled a phone that combines premium Samsung hardware with the MMGuardian technology developed over a decade of providing parental control solutions for Android and iPhones.
According to MMGuardian, the parental control functions built into the phone offer top-tier monitoring and control features, and include additional anti-tamper measures to prevent any workaround attempts, like trying to switch to safe mode or doing a factory reset to get around the rules.

Parents can adjust the phone’s settings based on your child’s maturity level, such as locking it down tight for very young children, for example controlling internet access and app installations. 

Addressing the reality that teens require access to the internet and social media, exposing them to potential risks, says MMGuardian, it uses artificial intelligence (AI) deep learning models on both the backend and mobile devices to thoroughly scan texts and pictures. 

“Notably, MMGuardian prioritises child privacy by conducting scans directly on the child’s phone, avoiding the need to send pictures elsewhere for analysis. As an example, inappropriate selfies often correlate with severe risks such as sexting, sextortion, child predation, cyberbullying, and even child suicide. With MMGuardian, an on-device AI deep learning model rapidly detects inappropriate selfies, promptly alerting both parents and children to potential risks.”

MMGuardian has announced three models, the A14, A15, and A03S. The devices start at a relatively low $119, but also come with the MMGuardian Service, which costs $120 per year.

* CES, formerly the Consumer Electronics Show, is one of the most influential tech events in the world, serving as the launchpad for several thousand new products every January in Las Vegas. It is owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), and features every aspect of the tech sector.