Parental Controls

Parents sometimes feel a bit helpless when it comes to what their kids are doing online. It's not always possible to be staring over their shoulder the entire time. And as your kids get older, they expect increased privacy and flexibility.

There are software tools that can help you control and monitor children's use of the Internet. Filters, for example, can prevent access to "adult web sites" as well as sites that depict violence, use of drugs, tobacco, alcohol or other material that you - as the parent - consider inappropriate. These filters are not perfect. It's still possible for inappropriate material to slip through and it's also possible for a filter to block sites that may be appropriate, but they've come a long way in the last few years and do a reasonably good job at blocking the bad while letting in the good

Other tools help you limit children's time online or on the PC, who your kids can contact on the Net, either blocking or limiting use of chat rooms, instant messaging services, file-sharing, computer games or even e-mail.

There are software programs and services that can monitor your child's activity. The idea, here, is not necessarily to prevent the child from doing certain things but keep the parents in the loop so that you can talk with your kids if you feel they are going astray.

There are two basic approaches to parental controls. You can purchase software that works with virtually any service you use or you can subscribe to a service that offers its own controls.

Software, like CyberPatrol, SafeBrowse, NetNanny and CyberSitter can be installed on your PC to block websites and, in some cases, access to instant messaging and chat services. You'll also find parental controls included in some of the Internet security products like ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, Norton Internet Security or McAfee Privacy Service. Some of these products can also monitor your child's use of the Internet to report what they are doing. When parents install these programs they can choose what types of sites and activities to block or restrict. Parents are given a password that allows them to make changes or bypass the filtering when an adult is using the computer. Some of the software can also be configured to block certain terms or strings of characters such as your child's name, address or phone number to prevent the child from typing personally identifiable information in instant messages, chat ooms or e-mail. Some programs can also control when your child goes online and for how long.

To find out more about specific programs, click on the Tools for Families link at GetNetWise.org. Also check out Consumer Reports June, 2005 reviews of filtering software

Another strategy is to use parental controls offered by an Internet service provider (ISP) or premium add-on service such as AOL for Broadband or MSN Premium. Many ISPs, including some broadband providers such as cable modem or DSL services, offer some parental controls. In most cases, they are not installed or enabled by default but if they are offered, you can usually turn them on pretty easily. If you can't find information about parental control features on the ISP's website, call their technical support department for help.

Premium services such as MSN Premium, AOL dial-up and AOL for Broadband offer a bundle of security features. MSN Premium, for example, includes the ability to create separate controls for each child, age-based customizable content control and the ability to limit your child's use of MSN Messenger and e-mail and limit access to inappropriate web sites. Parents can also get a weekly activity report on their kids online activity.

AOL for Broadband offers similar features, including the ability to control access to Internet applications. If someone using the PC attempts to access any Internet application, they are required to enter their AOL username and password. If it's an adult account, they can go ahead. Otherwise they're usage is restricted according to the controls that are in place.