Google Improves ‘Digital Wellbeing’ Controls on Smart Devices

Google has announced updates to its Digital Wellbeing controls, aimed at how you can limit the use of your smart devices at home, specifically Google Nest or Home speakers.

According to an email sent by the Google Home team today and obtained by iPhone in Canada, starting this month (so in the next or so?), all home members will have the capability to manage Digital Wellbeing Filters and Downtime schedules on Google Nest or Home speakers and displays. Previously, this control was only available to the person who initially set up the device.

“These changes mean that you can now share the responsibility of managing these features with other people in your household,” explained Google. This update is intended to align the management behaviour of Digital Wellbeing with most other device controls.

Google’s Digital Wellbeing tools allow users to limit when and how their Google Nest or Home speakers and displays are used. Members of a home can create and manage Digital Wellbeing Filters and Downtime schedules. At some point you just need to lay off the devices and these controls allow you and your kids to do just that, without arguing or yelling.

Filters can restrict content on speakers and displays, such as blocking access to music with explicit lyrics or controlling which video services are enabled. Downtime, on the other hand, allows users to temporarily turn off Google Assistant for family breaks. This means disabling command and silencing notifications, but still allowing alarms and timers.

Below is a video on Google’s Digital Wellbeing features from a while back: