Following is an overview of the basic features and common characteristics of automated web filter software:

Customizable restrictive capability

This is the “core” of all web filters. Lengthy drop-down menus lends a high degree of precision to parental discretion about what tender eyes may see. Subsequent or simultaneous age-appropriate adjustments for multiple siblings are also easily accomplished.

After-the-fact analyses

High-quality web filters typically include a log feature to facilitate subsequent review and accurate analyses of juvenile online activities. Thus, you may glean a full history of your child’s prior Cyberspace forays at your leisure. Busy parents no longer must worry about whether Junior has really been working on that research project due next week or playing virtual games. Even if all looks well on the surface, emergent bad habits like a progressive attraction to virtual arcades that present detractions to earning higher grades may be nipped in the bud.

Real-time remote supervision

Typical web filter templates even let concerned parents eavesdrop on youngsters’ online sessions in real-time to enable an immediate halt to inappropriate activity(ies) or communications.

Specific site exclusion

You may also block access to specific “danger zones” disclosed by prior diligent investigation. This neutralizes negative temptations for youngsters while providing parents with an effective instrument of positive motivation. Parents can make earning a minimum test score or completing specific household chores a condition of restored gaming site access, for instance.

Have You “Lost” Your Child to the World Wide Web?

Once he began to spend so much time online, it’s like I “lost” him to the World Wide Web. I became particularly concerned about the laptop and the Internet’s hold over him when his marks started dropping. Since I bought the laptop so he could use it for homework, it seemed like my whole strategy was backfiring in a major way. The situation was really stressing me out, as I love him so much and I just want him to be a happy, productive, and positive person. Obviously, taking away the laptop would lead to nasty scenes and even more mutual mistrust, so I needed to find another way to deal with the situation…

I know you’re not supposed to poke around your child’s room, looking at Internet search histories and things like that. However, my son is still quite young, and I must confess that I did check his browser history in order to see what was going on with him. It’s an understatement to say that I felt physically ill when I saw the things he’d been checking out online. It was all too obvious that he never expected me to question his online activities or to check his web history.  Eventually, I did confront him, and it didn’t go well. Of course, after this, he began deleting his search histories after every Internet session.

I knew there had to be another way to monitor what was appearing on his computer screen. After a little research, I decided to investigate parental control software that would allow me to remotely monitor every single keystroke that he punched in on his laptop keyboard. I was thrilled to realize just how many attributes and features these software programs offered.
By letting my son know that I now had the power to track his movements online, I was able to deter him from visiting inappropriate websites or chatting with unsafe, unknown strangers. Since he spends so much time in his room (like most teenagers), I knew parental control software would provide me with a great return on my investment. After I told him about the new software, he was angry. However, I stated that it was “my way or the highway”, and that I would routinely monitor his activities on the Web until he turned 18.

Over the next little while, his website search history got cleaner and cleaner. He was clearly too ashamed or afraid to visit his old haunts, and that was just fine with me.

I Chose Affordable Parental Control Software with a Variety of Useful Features

The parental software program that I chose allowed me to monitor my child’s online activities in absolute secrecy; however, in the spirit of trust and openness, I chose to alert my son to the existence of this new program. By letting him know that nothing he does online is really private, I reinforced boundaries and he cleaned up his act. Yes, he can still seek out inappropriate websites when he’s outside of the family home. However, he can’t do this while he’s in his bedroom.

It’s just not healthy for him to see certain things that are displayed online, and these “bad” websites were really affecting his attitude and distracting him from his schoolwork. Now, thanks to parental control software, he’s coming around and acting more like he used to. His marks are rising, and he’s spending more time with us.

Parenthood is a journey with many bumps in the road; raising a kid is hard work, and it requires kind, yet firm, discipline. By letting my son know that I see everything he does online, I have changed the way he uses the Internet. I love having my son back, and I’m so glad I chose to install one of these innovative and practical programs.

5. Google Parental Controls are Free!

Before you spend a fortune on parental control software, take a look at what Google has to offer.  The webmasters at Google are always coming up with new and better ways to serve the people searching the Internet and because Google makes so much money, many of those new and better services are free. Google created parental control options called “SafeSearch,” which allows parents to set search parameters and even lock those parameters. SafeSearch is available on any computer with Internet access. It can also be used on cellphones with Internet access.

Google has also created safety features for YouTube, Blogger,  Gmail, and many of the other free Google services.  Google Mobile Apps that give location, like Google Maps and Google Latitude, can also be filtered so that children who use that app on their cell phones cannot be found by people who shouldn’t find them.

Google even has advice for parents on how best to keep their children safe. That advice can be found at: http://www.google.com/familysafety/tips.html.

4. E-Readers Need Parental Controls, Too

What can be more harmless than an e-Reader? It seems that something a person would use to read a book wouldn’t need parental control software, but e-Readers have practically become little computers. E-Readers allow easy access to the Internet and the big booksellers, like Amazon and Barnes and Noble, sell e-books that would be considered appropriate for children and teens. Not all e-Readers have parental control software, so parents should check with the manufacturer to see what is available.

3. Cellphones Need Safety Controls

Teens treat their cell phones like mini-computers. Because of the available apps and Internet access, parents need to treat their children’s cell phones the same way. Whatever a child can find on a home computer can be found on a cell phone, especially if it is a Smartphone.  Parents can purchase software that allows them to monitor text messages, photos and videos, and events on the calendar. Parents can have access to set time limits, to monitor keystrokes, and even to wipe the memory of the cell phone if it is lost or stolen.

Parents should compare reviews and specifications for the different mobile parental control software to find what is best for them and their children.

2. Parents Can Monitor Facebook Activity

Many people today would consider the idea of Facebook and child safety to be an oxymoron, but Facebook has taken parental controls and child safety seriously.  Facebook has an easy-to-read and easy-to-find page all about safety for families using Facebook. The Facebook Safety center (facebook.com/safety) offers tips for parents, tools for educators, and suggestions for teens to keep themselves safe while surfing the incredibly large Facebook world. The site even offers links to articles offering more information to anyone who is concerned with safety, cyberbullying, and character education online.

For parents who want even more control over their children’s Facebook world, there are several software manufacturers that have created software specifically for monitoring Facebook. The software can monitor friends, links, profiles, and more, while keeping track of activity on both Facebook and Twitter. Parents should check reviews of those programs to find what fits best for them.

1. Children Know How to Get Around the Controls

It is very easy to set up parental controls on the computer. Therefore, it is just as easy to take them down. Children can easily find websites with easy instructions, pictures and videos to get the parental controls taken off of their mobile phones, computers, and e-Readers. Just a simple search of “How to turn off parental control software” gleans over 7 million results on Google.

So what is a parent to do? Awareness is the key. Children usually know more about computers than they let their parents know. Children aren’t afraid to explore their computers and cell phones to see how they work. Therefore, parents need to do the same thing, by not being afraid of technology. Parents should talk to their children about safety on the computer, so neither is taken by surprise if something unexpected or unsafe happens.

1. To get started, click Start, and then Control Panel
2. Then click on Windows Firewall
3. On the left-hand side of the window, click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off
4. For each of the different network types, click Turn on Windows Firewall.
5. We recommend selecting “Notify me when Windows Firewall blocks a new program,” but this isn’t necessary.
6. This will set the firewall to all of the default settings.  However, sometimes Windows Firewall will block programs that you don’t want blocked, such as games, alternate email clients, or even instant messenger clients.  Generally speaking, if Windows Firewall doesn’t know the program already, you will need to tell it to allow it to communicate to the Internet.

Allowing programs access is pretty easy.  All that you have to do is click on Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall on the left-hand side.  This will bring up a list of programs and features installed on your computer.  Scroll through the list and place a check in the corresponding box for each program you wish to allow to access the Internet.  There will be different columns for each network that is set up, and you should choose which networks the program can access the Internet from carefully.  Please note, however, that you should never allow access to any program that you do not know.

1. Navigate to www.facebook.com
2. Fill in the details as requested to create a new account for your child.  Please note that it is important to input the correct birth year of your child, as this will help filter Internet content delivered to them.
3. You will be invited to find your friends using your email address.  Input here is optional.
4. Step 2 involves filling in high school and job information.  We recommend inputting this information as it will help your child connect with others at school and can be hidden from strangers later.
5. Step 3 asks for a profile picture.  This step is optional, although we recommend a cartoon or other image that is not actually a photograph of your child.
6. After completing Step 3, you will be taken to your homepage.  Now, click on Account Settings in the upper-right corner, and click Privacy Settings.
7. We highly recommend that you set all of the options to Friends Only.

From here, the details you fill in about your children are up to you.  Provided that you allow only friends, which must be confirmed by you, to view your details, none of these will be exposed.