Protecting Your Children Online

One of the most common questions that I get is: “how do I protect my children online?”

I would not presume to tell you how to find the balance between giving your children freedom while keeping them protected from the threats that the internet has introduced, but I can share with you a tool that I have used.  Having very recently become a father, I already worry about keeping my daughter safe. I also worry about finding the right "balance". OK..she is only 9 months old and several years away from being "online", but hey, tha'ts what fathers do, right? We worry.

The internet is an extraordinarily powerful tool that has changed our lives in so many ways for the better. But it has also introduced dangers that we never had to face as children. By being proactive you can stay on top of what your children can view online, who they interact with, and even control what times they are allowed to be online.

Internet Filtering programs allow you to (among other things):

• Block any type of website (adult or otherwise), social media, or games completely or   on a schedule.
• You can also choose to log and review instant messages, emails, and even Facebook chats.

The level of control and monitoring is customizable so you can set the levels to what you are most comfortable with. There are a couple of very good products out there such as CYBERsitter ($39.99 for 3 computers) and Net Nanny($39.99 for 1 computer, $59.99 for 3).

The other advantage is making sure malware and other viruses are not easily installed on your computers. Clicking on a seemingly innocuous site can automatically download viruses that can steal information or even completely take over your computer. Having logged many, many, many hours cleaning up computers for friends and family I can tell you that this is also a very strong reason to use this software in conjunction with your virus protection.

Both products also offer similar tools for your kid’s cell phones. Using Google maps you can view where they are and where they have been, stop texting and calling while driving, and even monitor excessive speeding.  It also offers very similar website blocking capabilities.  It is at least worth taking a look at.