The internet can be a constructive and very useful learning tool. We want to encourage our children to use all of the resources that are at their disposal to learn and grow. It is a double edged sword in some cases though as the internet can also be a very dangerous place for children. With explicit adult content, hate material, racist websites, violent content and pornography in general, the question then becomes how do you protect your children from viewing the content of these sites?
Fortunately, there are many programs that we can purchase that block access to these sites and keep our children safe from the barrage of adult oriented media that is online. There are also some ISP's (Internet Service Providers, the companies that let your modem connect to the internet) that provide content filtering as a part of their basic service. Check with your ISP to see if this is an option that they offer.
Another option that we have as parents is to purchase parental control software. Parental control software works by blocking access to specific websites and the online material that is found there. In many cases when you purchase the software it already contains a very large list of sites that are inappropriate for children. The software also gives you the opportunity to build your own list of “keywords” that such as “sex” and then blocks the user from entering that site. However, parental control software is not limited to blocking material of an adult nature. You are also capable of using keywords such as “racism”, “violence”, "drug use”, “alcohol”, “hate” and any other topics that you don"t want your children to be exposed to.
There is also a built in content filter in Windows Internet Explorer. If you access the main tools option in Explorer you can enable or disable sites and word searches. It also allows for a parental password. However, this filter is far less specific than the parental control software on the market today. Some of the parental control software that you can buy is as follows: CyberPatrol
, Net Nanny
, Safety Surf
, Cyber Sitter
, We-Blocker
, and many more.
Most are password protected and an attempt to alter the password may result in the child being “kicked off” of the Internet. These parental controls come with a variety of options. Some are equipped with a time limit feature so when a child has surfed for a specific amount of time he/she is immediately disconnected from the internet. Others have the ability to be adjusted according to the age of the child. A child would log in under his or her name and the parameters that have been set for that specific child will be activated.
Some parental controls can be set to restrict downloads and also to block email, chatting and instant messaging. “Kid Safe” browsers are also available. These browsers are set up to go to safe sites for children but a parent would still have to monitor the child and make sure that that is the browser that the child is using. Some (such as We-Blocker) are available for free from certain sites.
The ages, settings, keywords, time limitations, and the general supervision that we allow while using parental controls are decisions that we must put a great amount of thought into before we set. We must also remember that each child is an individual that grows, learns and makes judgment choices at different levels. It is not the intent to take the “fun” out of the internet so we must take care and allow our children some freedom (Yahooligan's kid's site for example). This allows them to express themselves and also learn in a fun and safe environment.
