This New App Can Show You Exactly What Your Child Is Doing Online

Being online can be both beneficial and harmful for kids. On the one hand, they can learn new things and meet kids with similar interests. On the other, they may increase their risk for bullying and experience mental health challenges. In fact, as many as 1 in 5 kids have severe anxiety or depression that can be linked in part to online activities and feelings of isolation.

“Excessive screen time, cyberbullying, and social media pressure can weigh heavily on a child’s emotional well-being,” says Keisha Saunders-Waldron, LCMHCS, a professor and licensed professional counselor. “Many children struggle with self-esteem issues, anxiety, and sleep disturbances because they’re constantly comparing themselves to unrealistic online portrayals.”

Saunders-Waldron says the key is balance and awareness—understanding how online interactions affect a child’s mental and emotional state and knowing if your child is being affected. But even with the best-laid plans, online time limits, and digital guardrails in place, subtle shifts in mood or online communications can be missed by parents, says Saunders-Waldron.

For this reason, Hari Ravichandran, father and CEO, of Aura, built an app that could assist parents in identifying these subtle shifts in mood and behavior before they become a major issue. Set to launch on March 24, 2025, the app promises to be a first-of-its-kind, artificial intelligence or AI-powered early warning system that lets parents know about significant changes in their child’s online behaviors.

What Does the App Do?

According to Scott Kollins, PhD, a clinical psychologist and Aura’s chief medical officer in charge of clinical and product integration, Aura’s tools are designed to give parents a window into their child’s online life. 

“Whether it is a better understanding of their nightly sleep patterns, new friends they are talking to on social media, or activities they once enjoyed that they have suddenly stopped doing, the insights and recommendations that the app provides create an opportunity for parents to engage in a conversation with their child about what is happening in their life,” he says.

Dr. Kollins says after logging in, parents can view their child’s summary. This report tracks changes in online behavior over time and offers science-backed recommendations and conversation starters if Aura detects opportunities to improve their child’s online-offline balance.

“Soon, parents also will receive two types of notifications—highlights and risk signals,” he says of other upcoming features. “Highlights celebrate positive digital behaviors, like choosing educational apps or reducing social media use, encouraging healthy habits, and strengthening parent-child trust. Risk signals warn of serious concerns like self-harm or suicidal thoughts.”

How Does It Work?

First, parents and kids will both need to download the Aura app to install the protections. Through the onboarding process, parents will get a step-by-step guide so that they understand how to download the app, link their kids’ devices to their account, and turn on/enable all of the protections. 

Then, the material and updates parents see are gathered using AI. This information-gathering ability is guided by child clinical psychologists and is designed to detect early signs of mental health issues. Dr. Kollins says the goal is to provide parents with a balanced view of their child’s well-being.

Ravichandran points out, “So much of what is really going on in our kids’ minds exists in this digital realm. And, so I think parents are going to feel relieved to have a window into that world that doesn’t feel intrusive but allows them to have more confidence in their own parental instinct.”

The Idea Behind the App

Part of Ravichandran’s motivation for creating the app was an experience in his own family. He says one of his kids struggled with mental health challenges, including calorie restriction and negative coping strategies like self-harm, which were amplified by the digital world.

“I experienced firsthand just how much support parents need,” he says. “As my wife and I were going through this experience, we connected with many parents with similar experiences. One point of feedback was always consistent: ‘If I had just had access to that phone, it was all right there.’”

That said, he didn’t want to create an app that would hinder his kids’ freedom or privacy, but he says he also needed to know that they were safe. “That is my job as a parent,” he says. “Nothing existed to allow me to do that, so I built it.”

How Much Does It Cost?

According to Ravichandran, parents can access these features by subscribing to Aura’s Family Plan for $32 per month or through Aura’s Kids Plan for $10 per month. “The Family Plan also offers comprehensive identity theft protection, including $5M identity theft insurance, three-bureau credit monitoring, and other security services like financial transaction monitoring and antivirus,” says Ravichandran.

He says the Kids Plan focuses on digital safety for kids. It also includes traditional parental control features like content filtering and screen time limits, he adds.

What Do Experts Think?

Saunders-Waldron suggests using this app as a guide to assist you in strengthening connections and conversations with your child and not as a solution. “No technology can replace honest conversations and emotional connection between you and your child,” says Saunders-Waldron, who does not work with Aura.

The risk, she says, is that using the app incorrectly could create more distance than connection if you rely only on it to monitor your child’s well-being. “But if you use the insights as a starting point for honest conversations, this could be a powerful tool,” explains Saunders-Waldron. And always allow your child to talk without feeling judged.

“Being a loving and respecting parent with open communication with your children will always be better than any tool or app,” confirms Jeff Temple, PhD, professor and psychologist with UTHealth Houston. “Kids also need and value their autonomy and independence and could find ways to undermine this app, which will then give parents a false sense of security.”

According to Dr. Temple, you should devote as much attention to this aspect of your child’s health as you do to broken bones and the flu. “So, if this app opens up communication about mental and behavioral health, that may be the best thing to come out of it,” says Dr. Temple. “I’d also argue that the app may be especially beneficial to younger children who are more susceptible to online victimization.”

Also, if you’re weighing whether to get a younger child a smartphone, this app could alleviate some of their worry—and be a great negotiation point for parents, he says. In other words: “We will get you a smartphone, but we will install this app.”

How To Let Your Kid Know You’re Going To Use the App

Ravichandran says when he put this app on his child’s phone, she wasn’t necessarily thrilled. But, he says he explained why he and his wife decided to activate these safety tools. “We also made sure she understood what kind of information we would see—no actual text messages she’s sending, nothing overwhelmingly invasive—and ultimately she understood our motivation,” shares Ravichandran.

If you try to monitor online activity without your kids understanding what your ultimate goal is, they are going to think you’re spying for the sake of being nosy, he says. “It’s like reading their diary, but even more personal, because the phone is a record of every social interaction they have,” he adds.

The best time to introduce protections like Aura is when your child gets their first device. “It’s a natural moment to have a conversation about the responsibility that comes with having access to the internet,” says Ravichandran. “But, that doesn’t mean if your kids already have free rein you can’t claw back a bit of visibility—I did it and it’s going well.”

Conversely, being sneaky about digital safety—like reading their messages while they’re asleep—will only motivate distrust and cause them to resist protection even more, he says.

Other Online Safety Tips

A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that AI-driven interventions can be useful in addressing a child’s mental health issues and their online activities. But they certainly do not replace the need for effective parenting.

“Instead of just restricting screen time, talk about what your kids are watching, who they’re following, and what they’re engaging with online,” suggests Saunders-Waldron. “Teaching critical thinking skills is also important for kids to learn how to recognize misinformation, online manipulation, and unhealthy comparisons.”

Finally, if you want your kids to have a healthy relationship with technology, make sure you are modeling healthy screen habits as well, she says.

Ravichandran also wants parents to know they are not alone. “Raising kids in the digital age is challenging, but we don’t have to figure it out on our own,” he says. “This app was built by families, for families—to provide the support, tools, and peace of mind we all need.”