Review Time
I'm 16 and my parents have always been strict. Back in December of 2024, I got grounded because they found out I was talking bad about them to a friend. They found this out because they constantly checked my PC for messages. It sucked and they grounded me for almost an entire year. In the latest end of 2025, I got a phone (first time ever) since I got a job. Instead of just letting me have a phone like a normal person, they put Bark on my phone. I immediately realized that this thing was more than a normal parental control app. It has basic functions such as blocking websites, controlling apps, and controling when you can use the device. I have no issue with this BUT I have a HUGE issue with it's monitoring feature. It works by monitoring your screen 24/7 and using it's ai to scan every bit of text or picture. This was a huge issue because it's so sensitive. Curse words? Reports entire text convo. Make an edgy joke? Reported and probably comes with a conversation from your parents. Mention that your friend is sick with a cold? It reports that too! It reports much more than this too, and it's spyware.
One day I was texting a friend, and we were extra careful with our texts. It was to no use because even without cursing it still reports the messages. It will literally find one message it seems wrong, then uses that as an excuse to report the ENTIRE CONVERSATION! On that day, my parents sat me down for an hour and were highly stressed over our jokes. I was forced to block my good friend and many others, all because of this app sharing this information to my over strict parents.
You can't lower the sensitivity either. It is either on baby mode or not on at all. There should be a menu or something that has a list of what is reported and what isn't, along with a toggle button.
The worse part is what I mentioned a second ago: it reports one message THEN the rest of a conversation. I've even seen it do this one thing a couple of times where it stitches together random messages from all kinds of time spans together to form a bad looking conversation. I'm not making this stuff up, it's happened at least twice.
One more issue with this app is that it tends to say everything is said by your kid. Say there's a wild comment on Instagram or a message in a discord server, it's reported as if YOU typed it out. Don't even ask me how many times this got me in trouble.
Overall this app is garbage- and it doesn't even do its job properly! After a few months of continuous use it will randomly stop working. Good for me but bad for my parents because they then are paying for something that doesn't work. I overall hate this app and want it gone.
I strongly dislike it. Coming from a child's perspective, I advise parents to steer clear of this. If your child engages in any games with text chat or hangs out in friend groups that use inappropriate language, be prepared for an overwhelming number of notifications daily. The sensitivity is off the charts; even a harmless word like "stupid" triggers alerts about bullying. The control settings are very limited—it's either a basic mode for young kids or completely off, with no middle ground. I wouldn't be surprised if my parents received multiple notifications just from this review. It would be better to opt for a standard device and use a different parental control application.
I was initially worried that the setup would be complex, but it turned out to be quite simple. While some alerts seem trivial (like mild teasing or hypothetical threats), it effectively addresses all necessary monitoring concerns, such as bullying, hate speech, and inappropriate comments. If you think, "my child wouldn’t engage in this behavior," you might be right, but it’s also about their social circle. Open communication between parents and children is crucial, so while you reassure them of your trust, it’s important to set some boundaries; this service helps establish those boundaries. A little peace of mind can significantly ease the challenges of parenting.
I was concerned that the setup would be challenging, but it was surprisingly straightforward. Some alerts seem a bit excessive (like mild teasing or hypothetical threats), yet it addresses all my monitoring needs, such as bullying, hate speech, and inappropriate comments. If you think, "my child would never do that," you might be right, but it’s essential to consider their social circle. Open conversations between parents and children are vital, so while you reassure them of your trust, it’s also important to establish some limits; this service provides those limits. A little peace of mind can greatly help when parenting feels daunting.
Update: The support team reached out personally to ensure I received a replacement, which I appreciated. Once the watch arrives, I will consider this issue resolved. My son misplaced his watch at a sleepover a few weeks ago, so I contacted the service for a replacement. I thought I would just pay my deductible, but I was told that because I mentioned the sleepover, I needed to provide a police report since it could be considered theft. I refuse to involve the police regarding family matters after they classified this loss in such a way. Additionally, the app is quite difficult to navigate and not user-friendly. The watches are decent, although the battery life could be better.
Update: The customer service was helpful, but there are inherent limitations with iOS that are beyond their control. This app has many issues; it frequently stops working after extensive setup, and it’s relatively easy for kids to bypass on iOS. I’ve been trying to get it to work smoothly for nearly two years, and it has been a frustrating journey. Consider exploring other options.
My parents installed this app on my phone, and it significantly affected my mental health. While I understand its use for younger children, it feels excessive for a teenager. It's better to discuss apps and online safety openly with your child. If you think you need this service for your child to have a phone, perhaps reconsider giving them a phone at all. This app could be seen as intrusive and might harm your relationship with them.
If you want a watch with unreliable GPS tracking and a battery that dies before your child finishes school, then this is the right choice. My daughter started middle school and needed a way to contact us after school, so we opted for this watch. I rushed home early one day after checking in with her, only to find out her watch had died. When it comes to your child's safety, you need reliability, and this product does not provide that.
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Bark gives families a complete set of parental control tools to help navigate the digital world safely. From monitoring online content and managing screen time to filtering websites and tracking location, Bark provides comprehensive protection across devices.
Whether through our award-winning app, the Bark Phone, or the Bark Watch, we empower parents with the tools they need for peace of mind—both online and in real life.
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