Did Facebook monitoring change?

On May 1, 2015, Facebook made changes to how we and all other partner developers receive information about monitored account activity.  The majority of the Facebook notifications you receive from MamaBear about your child’s Facebook activity will remain the same, with the exception of being aware of new friend connections.  We can no longer share who your child is friends with on Facebook.

If you were monitoring your child’s Facebook account with MamaBear prior to May 1, you’ll need to log back in to your child’s Facebook account through your MamaBear app settings with your child’s Facebook username and password. This will confirm you receive all available monitoring features for Facebook, as well as new features when they become available. 

While we regret losing this one part of our Facebook monitoring features, we continue to work toward partnership with Facebook to allow MamaBear to add a host of new activity features that will make your MamaBear experience even better.  New Facebook monitoring features through MamaBear are the horizon with a robust look into your child’s activity.

Why doesn’t my child’s location update?

A location update originates from the MamaBear app running on the child’s device. MamaBear relies on Android and iOS to “wake up” the app to report a location.
Here are some things to check to make sure MamaBear is woken up as frequently as possible:
– MamaBear is not swiped out of memory on the child’s phone.
– Safe Places are set up for important locations.
 – Location services is “on”
 – Background refresh is “on”
 – Wifi is “on”

 Did iOS 7 change how MamaBear works?

If your child has updated their iPhone to iOS 7 please review these settings on their phone:
1. Be sure Location Services is on by reviewing Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
2. Be sure background app refresh is on for MamaBear from Settings > General > Background App refresh.
3. If your child is auto-updating apps, be sure they are logged in to MamaBear after an update.

Will MamaBear drain my battery?

The app on the parent’s device will not impact battery life. The app on the child’s device will use more battery resources to collect location information. MamaBear “sleeps” while your child’s phone is stopped and “wakes” back up when your child’s phone is on the move. While all apps running location services impact battery life, we’ve tested MamaBear against other popular apps, and ours proves to be very efficient.

Does the app always need to be running?

The app needs to remain on your child’s powered on phone and always logged-in. If the app is deleted from their device, closed out of memory or the phone is off, you will not be able to receive location information. Here’s a quick how-to video to password restrict deleting apps on your child’s iphone: https://vimeo.com/49044625

What kind of phone do I need?

Your child will need a data connected iOS or Android smartphone with gps for location and driving monitoring. Parents can monitor from an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. We support iOS 6 or higher and Android OS 2.2 or higher.

Do I need my child’s social log-in?

Yes. You will need your child’s login username and password for monitoring. MamaBear currently monitors Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Your child doesn’t need to install MamaBear app on their phone if you only want to monitor social.

LET US KNOW if you still have questions, we’ll gladly answer them right away.

Google+