The Internet is a whole other world for you and your children to explore. You can do just about everything from your home computer – meet new friends, shop for products, and look at pictures and videos on whatever sparks your interest. However, in the same way you would never let your children wander new streets, cities, and countries unattended; you might want to take the same caution when allowing them access to the Internet.
Sometimes, simply monitoring the websites that your children go to or talking with your children about the perils of the Internet is not enough. One of the best ways to protect your children from the dangers of the Internet is to actively block access to websites that might be inappropriate for your kids. There are many ways to go about doing this and each of them really depends on how vigilant parents want to be and how much money you want to spend.
The Parental Control Bar
One way to block inappropriate websites on your home computer is by using the Parental Control Bar. This solution is quick and easy to use, and more importantly, is free to download. Created as a free public service by WRAAC.org, its main purpose is to give parents greater control over the Internet content their children have access to. Once you have downloaded the Parental Control Bar, you can set the boundaries to your children’s Internet access. Then, when your kids surf the Internet on “Child-Mode,” the Parental Control Bar simply scans the website and compares it to the boundaries you have set before allowing your kids access to the website. The toolbar also allows you to change settings to “always block” or “always allow” certain websites.
Writing Commands
Another way to block specific websites from your children is by writing a command into your home computer. This method is completely free, however it does require a little more computer knowledge than, say, downloading a software. Also, this method only works for Windows PC.
To get started, click on the Start button and select Run. Next, type the following text into the Run box: notepad c:WINDOWSsystem32driversetchosts. A new window will pop up on the screen containing a large chunk of cryptic message. Simply scroll down to the last line of the message and hit Enter. Now comes the part where you type in the specific sites you want blocked from your home computer. Begin with 127.0.0.1 followed by the website you want blocked. For example, if you wanted to block access to MySpace on your computer, you would type in: 127.0.0.1 myspace.com. Sounds easy enough, right?
When you are all done, simply save the file and click Exit. Then, all of the websites you typed in will be blocked from your computer. Should you change your mind and want to unblock a website, follow the same steps and delete the lines you don’t need blocked anymore.
Safety Software
For some parents, especially those with large families or children of different ages, the most suitable way to monitor and block website access on your home computer might be through purchasing software. There are many different brands and products to choose from. What is most important is that you choose a product that suites your family’s particular needs. What you really pay for when you purchase a software kit, as opposed to simply downloading a generic toolbar or writing a command on your computer, is the ability to tailor monitoring and blocking needs to each individual in your family. For instance, monitored access to MySpace might be appropriate for the teenagers in your family but not appropriate at all for your elementary school kids.
The Kidsafe Source website outlines and reviews five of the most popular software and ranks them by their features, effectiveness, and how easy they are to use. At the top is a product called SpyTech Agent. What is great about this software is that it not only allows you to monitor all aspects of your children’s Internet activity (websites, emails, and instant messaging), but it will also send you email notifications when this activity is happening. Another product offering great monitoring and blocking software is called Safe Eyes. What stands out about this product is that it allows families to create individual user profiles. Each child’s profile can have its unique settings created and monitored by the parents, and whenever a user logs in to their profile, the security settings are automatically in place.
There are pros and cons to purchasing software. Products can be tailored to your family’s specific needs and include both website monitoring and blocking applications, but most products can be costly (running from $40-$100 CAN). When it comes to blocking your children’s access to the Internet, it is most important to have a family discussion about the dangers out there. Then, you can chose a method of website blocking – whether it be through a toolbar, writing a command, or purchasing software – that best fits your family’s needs.
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