Most parents balk at the idea of allowing their children to use a family computer without any safety precautions in place. Parental controls serve more than one purpose. Not only can they keep your data secure, but they can also keep your children safe from the many threats that await them online. This article examines what you need to do to protect both your children and your data.
Keeping Kids Safe Online
The FBI estimates that one in three children has been exposed to unwanted sexual material on the World Wide Web, one in 11 has been bullied or harassed online, and one in seven has experienced unwanted sexual advances while on the Internet . These are three of the many dangers that concern parents. While the World Wide Web provides an array of data and experiences that can enrich children’s lives, it also contains access to people and information parents do not want their children to experience. Taking a few precautions and carefully setting parental controls to the strictest levels, however, can help you filter out many of the online hazards inherent with Internet use.
1. Keep the computer in a high-traffic area. Ultimately, you are your own best parental control. Placing the computer where you can be nearby as your kids use it allows you to monitor what they are doing while they are online, and discuss situations as they arise.
2. Set up personal profiles for each of your children. Both Windows and Mac computers allow you create separate password-protected user profiles in which you can set different controls. That way, you can protect your child while still allowing yourself unrestricted access.
3. Set up parental controls in Windows. Windows users can access parental controls through the Control Panel. Enable the controls by clicking the “On” button, and then set time limits, web restrictions, and control access to specific games and software. Determine the restrictions based on the age of your children. You can set specific controls for each profile.
4. Set up parental controls on a Mac. On a Mac, select System Preferences-Accounts and click on your child’s account. Mac allows you to block adult content websites, set access to only certain websites, set accounts to only receive mail or chat notifications from certain users, disable downloading, and set user time limits.
5. Restrict web browsing in your browser. Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, and similar browsers allow you to restrict the sites your child can visit. You can generally find access to these controls in the Tools or Preferences menus. Windows also has something called Content Advisor, which is accessible via the Tools-Internet Options menu. Enable Content Advisor, and then set low tolerances for language, sex, violence, and nudity.
6. Consider installing third party parental controls software. This type of software enables you to place even more controls on your child’s computer account, and most also allow you to view your child’s online browsing history.
7. Consider a service that monitors your child’s social networking and mobile phone activities. Products like SocialShield and Reputation.com can alert you to damaging information that your child posts, or that others post about them. These services also help you remove any negative items.
8. Talk to your kids about online safety. Teach your children from an early age how to behave online. The best parental control is open communication with your child about Internet safety.
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