Meet the BrightCanary Keyboard: A Smarter Way to Monitor Every App Your Child Uses

What do Snapchat, Discord, Instagram, and text messages have in common? They’re where kids are spending their time online and where traditional child safety apps often fall short.

So, BrightCanary built something better.

The new BrightCanary app uses a secure keyboard to monitor what your child types across every app they use. Whether they’re sending a message, texting a friend, or commenting on a video, BrightCanary gives you real-time insights and alerts. 

We spoke with BrightCanary co-founders Karl Stillner and Steve Dossick about the new keyboard and why it’s so essential for parents today.

What is the BrightCanary Keyboard?

The BrightCanary Keyboard replaces login-based monitoring for most apps. Instead of needing passwords to monitor your child’s social media accounts or internet activity, BrightCanary works by securely monitoring what your child types using a keyboard installed on their iPhone or iPad.

This means:

• You don’t need your child’s Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat password to keep them safe.
• You don’t need to plug their phone into a computer or sync over WiFi, as with other child safety platforms.
• You get real-time insights into what’s happening across all their messaging and social apps.

The app uses AI to distill what’s most important to you, like concerning alerts and emotional insights, so you don’t have to sift through every message.

“We heard from parents who wanted better visibility into their child’s digital life, especially on Apple devices,” Karl said. “The keyboard is a smarter, simpler way to stay informed.”

How it works

To get started, parents install the BrightCanary app on their phone and their child’s device. Once the BrightCanary Keyboard is set up and made the default on the child’s device, the app begins securely processing what’s typed and delivers real-time alerts and summaries to the parent’s dashboard.

You’ll see:

• AI summaries of your child’s conversations
• Emotional trends and tone shifts
• New interests or topics they’re exploring
• Concerning content alerts related to bullying, explicit language, self-harm, and more
• Full transcripts of what they type 

BrightCanary does not monitor passwords or sensitive financial or personal information.

“We’ve always believed in awareness and building connection, not surveillance,” Steve said. “The keyboard helps parents see the bigger picture, like what their child is experiencing and talking about, without overstepping.”

Why this matters for parents today

Today’s kids live in an all-app, all-the-time world. They don’t just text: they type messages, replies, and comments in a dozen different places, and sometimes in slang that even Google struggles to decode.

The BrightCanary Keyboard gives you a unified view of that world, no matter where they’re typing.

Parental monitoring isn’t about catching them doing something wrong. It’s about knowing enough to guide them through the digital messiness of growing up. To check in when something feels off. To catch early warning signs before they spiral. To build trust and connection, even when the conversation is hard.

“There’s no perfect tool for parenting in the digital age, but we think this gets us a lot closer,” Karl said.

Choose the right plan for your family

The BrightCanary Keyboard is just one part of how BrightCanary helps families stay informed.

BrightCanary offers multiple monitoring options, so you can choose the tools that work best for your child’s device and your parenting style:

• Keyboard Monitoring (Protection Plan): Monitor what your child types in real time across all messaging and social apps. Includes AI summaries, emotional insights, and alerts for concerning content. With your child’s login information, you can also track searches and videos watched across Google and YouTube.
• Text Message Plus: Want a deeper view into your child’s texts? This plan gives you access to both sides of their conversations, along with images, videos, and deleted messages.

Each plan includes AI-powered summaries and tools to help you have meaningful, informed conversations with your child. 

Whether you’re looking for broad coverage across all apps or full visibility into messages and media, BrightCanary gives you the flexibility to monitor what matters most.

Ready to try it?

Download BrightCanary on the App Store today and start your free trial. Need help? Visit our how-to guide or reach out to support@brightcanary.io — we’re happy to walk you through it.