Parental Control Software

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

The boy wants his own computer, mostly for playing MMO games. He does have a Facebook page and has gotten some interesting friend requests.

 

He's 12.

 

Anyone here have any first-hand knowledge of tools that can at least monitor, or even better control how the internet is used on a PC?

[BB27]

The boy wants his own computer, mostly for playing MMO games. He does have a Facebook page and has gotten some interesting friend requests.

 

He's 12.

 

Anyone here have any first-hand knowledge of tools that can at least monitor, or even better control how the internet is used on a PC?

 

Yeah, they are called parents.

 

Put the computer in a public place in your home and closely monitor what and when it is used. Don't expect software programs to be able to keep your kids safe.

 

Not trying to be confrontational, just pointing out reality.

[Fezmid]

Yeah, they are called parents.

 

Put the computer in a public place in your home and closely monitor what and when it is used. Don't expect software programs to be able to keep your kids safe.

 

Not trying to be confrontational, just pointing out reality.

 

Agreed. All of the software solutions can be easily bypassed.

[Booster4324]

Especially if he is going to be playing MMOs.

[meazza]

Especially if he is going to be playing MMOs.

 

Just make sure he stays away from this guy. He is a very bad influence :

 

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Yeah, they are called parents.

 

Put the computer in a public place in your home and closely monitor what and when it is used. Don't expect software programs to be able to keep your kids safe.

 

Not trying to be confrontational, just pointing out reality.

He comes home on the bus at 3 and is home alone til 5:30 every day. I'm not going to disable the internet when we're not around, as he may need it for homework. We've had discussions about internet safety. But when I'm not there I'd like some help "closely monitoring what and when it is used". Is he going to inappropriate sites? Is he searching for inappropriate things? How long did he really play that game?

 

I don't see this kind of software as a replacement for parental responsibility - I see it as a tool to help me with it though.

[John Adams]

He comes home on the bus at 3 and is home alone til 5:30 every day. I'm not going to disable the internet when we're not around, as he may need it for homework. We've had discussions about internet safety. But when I'm not there I'd like some help "closely monitoring what and when it is used". Is he going to inappropriate sites? Is he searching for inappropriate things? How long did he really play that game?

 

I don't see this kind of software as a replacement for parental responsibility - I see it as a tool to help me with it though.

 

There are a million and for most kids, they are not that easily bypassed by the average 12 year old although they are clearly bypass-able. As far as the dangerous stuff, it's good to install what you can.

 

If he's 12, he's doing what 12 year old boys do.

[Chef Jim]

Use what I used. A condom.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

He comes home on the bus at 3 and is home alone til 5:30 every day. I'm not going to disable the internet when we're not around, as he may need it for homework. We've had discussions about internet safety. But when I'm not there I'd like some help "closely monitoring what and when it is used". Is he going to inappropriate sites? Is he searching for inappropriate things? How long did he really play that game?

 

I don't see this kind of software as a replacement for parental responsibility - I see it as a tool to help me with it though.

 

To answer your questions...Yes, Yes, and He played it whenever he wasn't watching porn.

 

Take it from a guy who was an adolescent during the internet era...he'll find the porn quite easily. If he's anything like me, he won't hide it from you very effectively (though he'll think he is).

[ieatcrayonz]

To answer your questions...Yes, Yes, and He played it whenever he wasn't watching porn.

 

Take it from a guy who was an adolescent during the internet era...he'll find the porn quite easily. If he's anything like me, he won't hide it from you very effectively (though he'll think he is).

Sage, you're so naive.

 

Your parents were simply protecting you when they told you the JC Penney online catalog women's undegarment section was "porn".

 

Given that you've now spent some time with Ennifer, I'd think you'd have caught on.

 

Did Presley get to do all the fun parts?

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Sage, you're so naive.

 

Your parents were simply protecting you when they told you the JC Penney online catalog women's undegarment section was "porn".

 

Given that you've now spent some time with Ennifer, I'd think you'd have caught on.

 

Did Presley get to do all the fun parts?

 

Honestly, I was blindfolded and the whole thing is something of a blur because Presley slipped me something in my champagne and made off with all my money.

 

I certainly remember doing some of the fun things, but Presley was quite greedy with Ennifer as I recall.

[John Adams]

To answer your questions...Yes, Yes, and He played it whenever he wasn't watching porn.

 

Take it from a guy who was an adolescent during the internet era...he'll find the porn quite easily. If he's anything like me, he won't hide it from you very effectively (though he'll think he is).

 

I was an adolescent way before the Internet era and I found every bit of nudity I could when I was 12. The highlight was that I delivered papers to an apartment building that had a paper recycling bin (way rare for the 80s). A buddy and I used to dumpster dive into the recycling and come up with porn mags. The yield was low--maybe one of every 50 dives was successful...but we sure as hell tried!

 

I also heard of paperboys snagging the paper-wrapped magazines of the day (that brown paper was a surefire way to ID Playboy and the like). Of course, I never disrespected the mail like that.

 

There isn't a 12 year old boy not spanking to the Internet. I don't worry about that. What I worry about are the interactive websites, webcams, voice connections, emails, photos, etc. Big line gets crossed there.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

I was an adolescent way before the Internet era and I found every bit of nudity I could when I was 12.

As did I - my Dad's stack of Penthouse/Playboy on the bookshelf in his room, my mom's book about the Biology of Women (Our Bodies, Ourselves I think it was called) etc.

 

But an open internet makes it way too easy for the kid, and very easy for one thing to lead to another which can have very dire consequences.

[ieatcrayonz]

Honestly, I was blindfolded and the whole thing is something of a blur because Presley slipped me something in my champagne and made off with all my money.

 

I certainly remember doing some of the fun things, but Presley was quite greedy with Ennifer as I recall.

I would steer clear of that dude Presley. It was your birthday. YOUR BIRTHDAY. Imagine how he'd stab you in the back on a normal old Wednesday.

[John Adams]

As did I - my Dad's stack of Penthouse/Playboy on the bookshelf in his room, my mom's book about the Biology of Women (Our Bodies, Ourselves I think it was called) etc.

 

But an open internet makes it way too easy for the kid, and very easy for one thing to lead to another which can have very dire consequences.

 

I have a girl. Believe me, I'm on alert too. I don't care at all about adult porn. I care A LOT about interactivity.

[LeviF]

As did I - my Dad's stack of Penthouse/Playboy on the bookshelf in his room, my mom's book about the Biology of Women (Our Bodies, Ourselves I think it was called) etc.

 

But an open internet makes it way too easy for the kid, and very easy for one thing to lead to another which can have very dire consequences.

Jay, I'm going to catch a lot of hell for this, but there are some keylogging programs that can run in the background of an OS and require a special hotkey and password to access.

 

I realize not all parents will be into that kind of thing, but PM me if you want some more info.

[Chef Jim]

I have a girl. Believe me, I'm on alert too. I don't care at all about adult porn. I care A LOT about interactivity.

 

I do not envy you guys at all.

[Fezmid]

Jay, I'm going to catch a lot of hell for this, but there are some keylogging programs that can run in the background of an OS and require a special hotkey and password to access.

 

I realize not all parents will be into that kind of thing, but PM me if you want some more info.

 

That's assuming he's using the OS installed on the machine. There's nothing to stop him from burning a boot ISO from the internet, popping it in the DVD tray, and booting off of that instead. Best part - no logs for dad to be able to see. Can do the same thing with USB.

 

Yes, you could potentially block booting from anything but the harddrive -- but he could reset the CMOS to avoid that...

 

#1 rule in security - if you can't stop the bad guy (the son, in this case) from having physical access to the box, you can't protect the box.

[theesir]

As did I - my Dad's stack of Penthouse/Playboy on the bookshelf in his room, my mom's book about the Biology of Women (Our Bodies, Ourselves I think it was called) etc.

 

But an open internet makes it way too easy for the kid, and very easy for one thing to lead to another which can have very dire consequences.

 

Jay, my scenario is almost EXACTLY the same as yours. 12 YO boy, 4-5:30 home alone. We have the Chrome browser installed and the most frustrating thing is the "incognito browsing" option which generates no history and there is NO way to turn the feature off.

 

I am also interested in a good "netnanny" type program some of you may have found effective.

I'll do my best (as I'm sure Jay is) to filter through the snotty comments if any of you have something helpful to say.

[Dante]

I heard this was good. Will actually email you when the guarded pc tries to access a bad site. Have no personal experience with it though.