System, method, and applications for monitoring online usage of minors

Abstract

Systems, software, and computer implemented methods associated with a smart monitoring system used to monitor, manage, and modify the usage of various applications and/or websites on a mobile or other computing device are described herein. In one example method, user interactions performed at a client device are monitored, and a determination is made as to whether the monitored user interactions are associated with non-educational content or applications. In response to determining that they are, an activity timer is increased based on ongoing interactions with the non-educational content or application. In response to a determination that a current value of the activity timer exceeds a predetermined threshold value, an interruption process is triggered on the client device causing at least one educational activity to be performed by the user of the client device. Before allowing interaction with the non-educational content or application, the educational activities must be satisfactorily completed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a computer-readable storage device coupled to the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 monitoring a user interaction performed at a client device; 
 determining whether the monitored user interaction is associated with non-educational content or a non-educational application; 
 in response to determining that the monitored user interaction is associated with non-educational content or a non-educational application, increasing an activity timer based on ongoing interactions with the non-educational content or the non-educational application; and 
 in response to determining that the current value of the activity timer exceeds a predetermined threshold value, triggering an interruption process on the client device causing at least one educational activity to be performed by the user of the client device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-educational content or the non-educational application comprises a multimedia video, wherein the multimedia video is classified as entertainment. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in response to determining that the monitored user interaction is associated with educational content or an educational application, maintaining the activity timer at a present value based on ongoing interactions with the educational content or the educational application. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in response to determining that the current value of the activity timer does not exceed the predetermined threshold value, continuing to monitor the user interaction performed at the client device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein activity time is increased based on an actual amount of time spent interacting with the non-educational content or the non-educational application. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein activity time is increased based on a number of discrete non-educational activities are monitored. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold value is defined by an administrator associated with the user, wherein the administrator manages the at least one educational activities. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein triggering an interruption process comprises pausing the non-educational content or the non-educational application. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 evaluating a performance of the at least one educational activity;   determining whether the evaluated performance exceeds a performance threshold;   in response to determining that the evaluated performance exceeds the performance threshold, ending the interruption process on the client device and providing access to the non-educational content or the non-educational application; and   in response to determining that the evaluated performance does not exceed the performance threshold, identifying at least one additional educational activity to be performed during the interruption process.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the results of the evaluation of the performance of the at least one educational activity are transmitted to at least one administrator associated with the user. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 determining, after the triggering of the interruption process and before the at least one educational activities are completed, that the user of the client device has ended the at least one educational activity;   in response to the determination, storing an indication that the interruption process is to be maintained in response to the next interaction with the client device; and   in response to determining an attempt at a next interaction with the client device by the user, triggering the interruption process in response to the attempt at the next interaction.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 monitoring a user interaction performed at a client device;   determining whether the monitored user interaction is associated with non-educational content or a non-educational application;   in response to determining that the monitored user interaction is associated with non-educational content or a non-educational application, increasing an activity timer based on ongoing interactions with the non-educational content or the non-educational application; and   in response to determining that the current value of the activity timer exceeds a predetermined threshold value, triggering an interruption process on the client device causing at least one educational activity to be performed by the user of the client device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the non-educational content or the non-educational application comprises a multimedia video, wherein the multimedia video is classified as entertainment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein in response to determining that the monitored user interaction is associated with educational content or an educational application, maintaining the activity timer at a present value based on ongoing interactions with the educational content or the educational application. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein in response to determining that the current value of the activity timer does not exceed the predetermined threshold value, continuing to monitor the user interaction performed at the client device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein activity time is increased based on an actual amount of time spent interacting with the non-educational content or the non-educational application. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein activity time is increased based on a number of discrete non-educational activities are monitored. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined threshold value is defined by an administrator associated with the user, wherein the administrator manages the at least one educational activities. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein triggering an interruption process comprises pausing the non-educational content or the non-educational application. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 evaluating a performance of the at least one educational activity, wherein the results of the evaluation of the performance of the at least one educational activity are transmitted to at least one administrator associated with the user;   determining whether the evaluated performance exceeds a performance threshold;   in response to determining that the evaluated performance exceeds the performance threshold, ending the interruption process on the client device and providing access to the non-educational content or the non-educational application; and   in response to determining that the evaluated performance does not exceed the performance threshold, identifying at least one additional educational activity to be performed during the interruption process.