Use Parental Controls

In the ever-evolving online world, software tools can help you keep your children safer online by enabling you to control and monitor their Internet use.

Tools to help parents keep kids safer online

As a leading software manufacturer, Microsoft supports family safety online by building parental controls and family safety settings into many products. For example, Microsoft technologies such as Windows Live OneCare Family Safety, and the parental control features in Xbox 360 and Windows Vista enable you to decide what your children can see and do online, set appropriate limits, and monitor their Internet activity.

Family Safety from Windows Live OneCare

Windows Live OneCare Family Safety is a Web-based service that helps you create a safer online experience for your family. Available as a free download, Windows Live OneCare Family Safety offers:

  • Safer Web browsing and searching, with online content and communication filters that use rules you personalize for each family member, according to your values and their ages. It also helps to block inappropriate search results.
  • Supervision of your kids' activities from any computer. Web-based reports enable you to see what your kids are doing online and to grant or deny requests to view certain Web sites, even when you're not home. A warning feature can help teach older kids to make responsible decisions by letting them know when they are attempting to visit a site that may not be appropriate.
  • Integrated guidelines from child development experts, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, to help you make informed decisions about what content may be age-appropriate for your children.

Learn more about Windows Live OneCare Family Safety at http://onecare.live.com/familysafety.

Windows Vista

Windows Vista - the operating system installed on most new computers-provides new family safety tools to help you determine which games, programs, and Web sites your children can use.

On your Windows Vista computer, you can:

  • Set time limits for your children's computer use
  • Make choices about the games your kids can play and the Web sites they can access
  • Review online activity reports that you can use for meaningful family discussions about Internet safety.

Learn more about Windows Vista Family Safety Settings at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/ features/details/parentalcontrols.mspx

Xbox 360 and Xbox Live

Xbox 360 Family Settings enable you to decide what types of games - online and offline - your children can play on the Xbox 360 game console. To customize your children's gaming experience, you can:

  • Use established game ratings to decide what types of games to allow your children to play.
  • Modify your restrictions to allow specific games that may fall outside the parameters you have set.
  • Control your children's access to the Xbox Live service, where they can interact with other players. Xbox 360 Family Settings enable you to approve or disapprove your child's online friends, decide what communication to allow, restrict access to your child's online profile, and limit your child's exposure to content created by other members of the Xbox Live community.

Learn more about Xbox 360 Family Settings at http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/familysettings/xbox360/familysettings-intro.htm

More Tools for Family Safety

You can install software such as CyberPatrol, SafeBrowse, NetNanny, and CyberSitter on your computer to block certain Web sites and, in some cases, prevent access to instant messaging and chat services. You'll also find parental controls in some Internet security products, such as ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite, Norton Internet Security, or McAfee Privacy Service. Some products can monitor your child's Internet use to report where they are going and what they are doing online.

When you install these programs, you can choose what types of sites and activities to restrict. You are given a password that allows tiy to make changes or bypass the filtering when an adult uses the computer. Some software can be configured to block certain terms or strings of characters such as your child's name, address, or phone number, to prevent your child from typing personally identifiable information in instant messages, chat rooms, or e-mail. Some programs can also control when your child goes online and for how long.

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

Parental controls from ISPs and other service providers

Many Internet service providers (ISPs) or premium add-on services such as AOL for Broadband or MSN Premium offer parental controls. Some broadband providers, such as cable modem or DSL services, offer some parental controls. In most cases, the controls are not installed or enabled by default, but you can usually turn them on easily. If you can't find information about parental control features on your ISP's Web site, call the technical support department for help.

Premium services such as MSN Premium and AOL for Broadband offer a bundle of security features. MSN Premium, for example, enables you to create separate controls for each child, limit their use of MSN Messenger and e-mail, and restrict their access to inappropriate Web sites. You can get a weekly activity report showing your kids' online activity.

AOL for Broadband offers similar features, including the ability to control access to Internet applications. If someone using the computer attempts to access any Internet application, he or she must enter an AOL username and password. Adult accounts are permitted to use the Internet without restriction; otherwise the use is restricted according to the controls that are in place.