Hi, this really really has puzzled me for several days, so my sister has asked me to install some form of parental control on her two computers. It seems she caught her son looking at... things. I've offered to examine all these sites for suitability and got a shocking look!!! Seeing as how he's still fairly young and has very little computing expertise, parental control should be pretty effective for a good deal of years.
I was looking at McAfee Internet Security Suite, but it doesnt talk much about its parental control system. But google recommended some following: OpenDNS(a great many are talking about it, but it seems not a parental control, why?), SentryPC, porn blocker, K9, but I have no idea which one to use though (and the way). Pretty much all it needs to do is block questionable websites, and provide some kind of whitelist thing so it won't block cracked. Any of you has experience with such kind of? Or some other nice advice? Thank you!
Oh, We all are not savvy enough for computer so I just paste her My Computer- right click
OS: Win XP Pro SP3
Pentium (R) Durl-core CPU
E5300 @ 2.60GHz
2.59GHZ 2.00GB
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Camila
offlineMemberPosted 7 months ago # -
Ron
offlineMemberwell, I have no kids, but a website I go to to read... things
recommends http://www.netnanny.com
--Posted 7 months ago # -
Pierre
offlineMemberOpenDNS is not a parental control, it's just a "smart" DNS service that can block known porn sites (notice the emphasis) and to which you can add your own whitelist. You can use it concurrently with dedicated kid-protection software.
However, IMO the best parental controls are education and explanation. You can't stop children from seeing objectionable material. If they can't see it from their home computer, they'll see it from a friend's computer or from an unwary adult's one. It's much better to explain to the kids why this kind of material is objectionable. Once the novelty has worn off, they'll get the point. Don't underestimate the children's computer expertise – or brains.
"Of all sins, avarice is the most profitable" (Marcel Aymé)
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"Earth is the cradle of humanity. Nobody can live in the cradle all their life" (Constantin Tsiolkovski)Posted 7 months ago # -
moosepucky
offlineMemberPierre said:
However, IMO the best parental controls are education and explanation. You can't stop children from seeing objectionable material. If they can't see it from their home computer, they'll see it from a friend's computer or from an unwary adult's one. It's much better to explain to the kids why this kind of material is objectionable. Once the novelty has worn off, they'll get the point. Don't underestimate the children's computer expertise – or brains.
The best parental controls are parental controls.
Do not purchase a separate computer for your children and if they already have one do not put it in their rooms (I feel the same way about TV and video games). Computers, TVs, video games belong in the family room, living room, den (public area of the house). There is no way to monitor the time a child spends on electronic "baby sitters" if they can have unsupervised/unlimited access 24/7
Set up an separate account for each child with a username/password log in. Be present while they are using the computer. Rotate the password after each log off. Computers, TVs, and video games should be treated like food. You have a set meal time. You should have a set entertainment time. You would not think about taking the door off of the fridge and telling everyone to just help themselves 24/7 (well maybe there will be some that do but it is not a good idea).
A "net nanny" can be used as a secondary control but the parents should be the primary control.
Expecting some unknown/unnamed "other" to raise and supervise your children and they will no longer be yours.
Just my 2¢
Posted 7 months ago # -
moosepucky
offlineMember -
I've always considered those "parental control" utilities to be like "parents" who "care" for their children by dropping them in front of the TV for hours on end so the parent can go do other things. Being a parent is a lot of work.
NOTHING will ever be better than actual interaction and education. Knowledge is power. This is the same concept proven by the fact that teen pregnancy is LOWER in regions with sex education in the schools than regions where kids are left ignorant.
And yes, I have 7 children, and most of them are fairly well-adjusted.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I use OpenDNS at my home. It is NOT a parental control but it is an aide. More of a tool in the kit that parents should use. All of my computers are routed through OpenDNS and I have selected several categories on my profile that I would rather be routed to a nice little "not allowed" page. Sex, drugs and other stuff.
Why doesn't this constitute parental control? Because I, as a parent, have no idea what their filters are based upon or exactly what their definitions are. So.... Selecting the phrase "hairless kitties" will cut out all images of our dear Mr. Biggles as well as images of other, ahem, critters. My youngest thinks Mr. Biggles is cool. She'd be depressed if I blocked it. Select "social websites" to filter out and I lose access to Winextra as well as CNN. One would be a tragically fatal failure of filtering while the other not necessarily so....
It's not really that different from using a TV to baby sit my kids but I do supplement it with time limits, supervision and education.
Now if I could just get my kids to stop watching that hideously disgusting show called "Ghost Hunter's International." Despite my best efforts, they fail to see that science is not employed at all in that crackpot show.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Dron
offlineMemberK9 is really a good one. K9 web site
But you didn't mention the age of the kid - for a younger one your sister can directly set a restricted browser like Kidzui It have biiiig limitations, but that the point right
But it is for really young kids.I'm trying now this one children care,
but seems it is not for web filtering but for time control and reminding only.But yep...it is difficult to fight with kid's curiosity for "things"
If your sister keep the PC in a common place in the home she will have better result than the software method - or better combine them. After all it is good for the family to be together, even if everyone is doing his own stuff.Posted 7 months ago # -
Steven Hodson
offlineHead HonchoRon said:
With respect to the post above me, by Dron, it looks suspiciously like an SEO post. Note the user was registered 4 hour ago yet has no difficulty in setting text as links in his post, with no editing.Ron I am inclined to agree with you but I checked the links and while they might be a little heavy on the SEO they are clean links. As well Dron did appear to add to the conversation so I am really reluctant to delete and mark the ID as blocked. As well the email provided doesn't have the hallmarks of a spammer or other such cretin.
That said I'll be keeping an eye on the account and nuke it at the first sign of bad behavior
Steven Hodson
WinExtra / Shooting at Bubbles / Braincell SoupPosted 7 months ago # -
Might I submit, that this kind of discussion may very well be the reason we don't have many new members?
I'd say our admins keep a pretty close eye on things. "Attacking" (remember, perception is everything) every new registrant is not conducive to increasing traffic in these groups, which, I'm sorry to say, has been falling steadily for some time now.
May I also submit, that suspicion of nefarious activity should be relegated to PM so as not to make new users uncomfortable. Some people lurk in forums for days or even weeks before registering and posting.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Pierre
offlineMemberBilly said:
Might I submit, that this kind of discussion may very well be the reason we don't have many new members?
<snip>
May I also submit, that suspicion of nefarious activity should be relegated to PM so as not to make new users uncomfortable. Some people lurk in forums for days or even weeks before registering and posting.Excellent point.
Posted 7 months ago #
