Frequently Asked Questions

ParentLens is an AI-powered monitoring tool that helps parents keep their children safe while using AI chatbots. It analyzes conversations in real time, flags concerning content, and delivers actionable alerts — so you can stay informed without reading every message yourself.

ParentLens works through a lightweight Chrome extension that runs in the background while your child uses AI chatbots. It captures conversation data locally, sends it through our two-tier analysis engine — first a keyword scan for immediate red flags, then a deep AI analysis for nuanced context — and surfaces anything concerning to your parent dashboard.

ParentLens currently monitors conversations on ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Character.ai, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity. We're actively adding support for more platforms based on parent feedback.

Absolutely. Conversation data is encrypted in transit and at rest. We never sell or share your child's data with third parties. Only the linked parent account can view monitored conversations. Our infrastructure runs on enterprise-grade cloud services with strict access controls.

We use a two-tier system. The first layer performs instant keyword-based detection for known risk categories like self-harm, predatory language, or illegal content. The second layer uses advanced AI to understand context — catching things like manipulation, grooming patterns, or emotional distress that simple keyword matching would miss.

Yes — we strongly recommend telling your child before you install ParentLens. Children who understand why a safety tool exists are more likely to develop their own judgment about risky situations, and transparency preserves the trust you'll need if an alert ever fires. We provide a guide with age-appropriate scripts at /support/having-the-conversation. The one narrow exception: if you have reason to believe your child is in acute danger right now — active grooming, imminent self-harm — you may need to act first and explain after. Even then, the conversation should happen as soon as the immediate risk is addressed.

ParentLens is designed for children ages 8 to 17. It's especially valuable for tweens (8–12) who are beginning to explore AI chatbots for the first time and may not yet recognize risky interactions.

The Free plan includes 1 child profile, keyword-based analysis, daily summary emails, 7 days of history, and interactive demo access. The Basic plan ($9.99/mo or $99.95/yr — save 15%) adds 3 child profiles, two-tier AI analysis, real-time alerts, 30-day history, flagged conversation viewer (only messages that triggered an alert, never full chat history), risk trend charts, and weekly safety reports. The Premium plan ($18.95/mo or $179.95/yr — save 20%) includes unlimited children, priority AI analysis, instant notifications, unlimited history, exportable reports, family therapist referrals, and priority support.

Sign up for a ParentLens account, then visit the Chrome Web Store and search for "ParentLens" or use the install link from your dashboard. Click "Add to Chrome", confirm the permissions, and the extension will start monitoring supported AI platforms automatically. You can manage which child profile the extension is linked to from your dashboard settings.

Yes. You can cancel your Basic or Premium subscription at any time from your account settings. There are no cancellation fees or long-term contracts. After cancellation, you'll retain access to your paid features until the end of your current billing period, then your account will revert to the Free plan.

ParentLens runs its analysis inside the browser extension on your child's device. Only risk assessments — the risk level, matched safety categories, and the specific message excerpts that triggered an alert — are sent to our servers. Full conversation transcripts are never transmitted or stored. On paid plans, the flagged conversation viewer lets you see the messages surrounding an alert for context, but you never get access to complete chat history. This means your child's everyday homework help, creative writing, and casual AI use stays entirely on their device.

ParentLens is designed with COPPA compliance in mind. We require verifiable parental consent before monitoring begins, we collect only the data necessary for safety analysis, we never target advertising to children, and parents can request deletion of their child's data at any time. Our privacy policy details our full compliance practices.

You'll receive alerts for detected risk categories including self-harm or suicidal ideation, predatory or grooming behavior, explicit or sexual content, cyberbullying, illegal activities, and emotional distress. Each alert includes the flagged message, surrounding context, a risk severity level, and AI-generated guidance on how to approach the conversation with your child.