Protecting Your Kids Online

By Maurice Brown

For many people the internet has become a normal part of everyday communication. Although relatively new in terms of years, e-mail, web surfing, and other online activities are as commonplace in many households as televisions and radios. As with most new technology, some of the earliest adopters are young people. But, among the vast stores of information and entertainment available on the internet, there are many things that are unsuitable and potentially harmful to children. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to protect your child while they are online.
Filtering and monitoring software. Filtering software blocks access to websites that contain offensive material. Sites with hate-filled speech, violence, drug references, pornographic and mature themes are restricted. Most programs have a list of acceptable and unacceptable websites. If a banned site is accessed, you can direct your web browser to shut down, redirect to a safe page, or e-mail you a report. Filtering software also blocks objectionable words from conversations in instant messaging programs, chat rooms and e-mail. Offensive language and words can be replaced with special characters or removed altogether.

Although these programs are a great aid in blocking objectionable material, they are not fool proof. Questionable sites can still sometimes find their way through the software and legitimate ones can sometimes be blocked. You will have to adjust some of the settings from time to time in order to get the best use out of the programs.

Keylogging software. A more aggressive approach is keylogging software. These surveillance programs record every key pressed on the keyboard and captures all users' activity on the PC. You'll be able to read chat discussions, e-mails and passwords. Screen captures and downloads are also recorded, so that you can see exactly what your child is viewing. Most keyloggers run in the background and cannot be detected or disabled by users.

ISP Parental Controls. Some internet service providers, like America Online and Microsoft’s MSN, provide built-in internet controls. AOL allows parents to monitor and restrict their child's online activity. You cannot prevent access to specific websites but you can limit access to features like e-mail and instant messaging. AOL also provides you with e-mail updates of your child's activity. MSN Parental Controls has similar age-based limits. You can block specific websites and limit access to MSN features like music, mail and instant messaging. Your child can request access to blocked sites through the Ask Now button. This triggers an e-mail sent to your office with a link to the site. You can preview the page and approve or decline access instantly.
Supervision. Even the most advanced computer software available cannot take the place of a watchful parent or guardian. It is very important to spend time with your children as they use the computer. Making sure that they are protected from potentially harmful and inappropriate content will be easier to do if you spend time guiding them to suitable websites. You can also prevent them from coming into contact with people online who may be looking to exploit their innocence.
With your guidance and a few of the above tools, you can ensure that your child will have a safe and enjoyable online experience. n