Protection Software For Kids

Children enjoy using the Internet for games, chatting and schoolwork. However, dangers lurk on the Internet in the form of predators, adult sites and other inappropriate content for minors. According to the ParentalGuidance.org website, 48 million children -- 90 percent of kids between 5 and 17 -- use computers, and kids and teens, more than any other age group, use the Internet. Parents should supervise computer use and discuss Internet dangers with children; installing protection software for kids adds an extra layer of protection.C

Children's Internet Protection Act

The Children's Internet Protection Act protects children from accessing offensive content on library and school computers linked to the Internet. CIPA requires that, to receive discounts on their telecommunications services, schools and libraries install "technology protection measures" that filter and/or block images that are obscene, pornographic or harmful to children. Schools and libraries must also put in place safety policies that address the issues of inappropriate material, chat and email safety, "hacking" by minors online, personal information disclosure and restricted access to harmful material. Child protection software may be used on home computers as well.

Features

Child protection software filters and monitors Internet use. According to Top Ten Reviews, protection software gives parents the ability to block inappropriate websites, set passwords for specific sites, control content displayed on the computer, monitor kids' use of social network sites, add/remove restrictions to specific content, and protect children from being contacted by online predators and porn vendors. Some filtering programs also offer the option of sending real-time alerts to parents, notifying them of a child's activity online. Good filtering programs are undetectable and uninstallable by children, and also prevent kids from using a proxy server, which is an alternative server that allows kids to surf the Internet unmonitored.

Top Programs

Top Ten Reviews analyzed 2010 Internet filtering software products and recommends eight programs based on filtering algorithms; filtering, reporting/monitoring capabilities; daily time limits, immediate blocking override capabilities; and help and support options. Ranging from No.1 to No. 8, the highest-rated programs are Net Nanny Parental Controls, CYBERsitter, Safe Eyes, PureSight PC, CyberPatrol, McAfee Family Protection, FilterPak and imView. Prices for these programs range from $24.95 to $49.95, as of October 2010.

Well Researched Reviews' top picks, from No. 1 to No. 5, are WebWatcher, SpyAgent, IamBigBrother, Content Protect and SpectorPro 6.0. Prices for these programs range from $29.95 to 99.95, as of October 2010.

Freeware Protection Software

Three freeware protection programs available for online download include K9 Web Protection, KidRocket and Control Kids (see Resources).

K9 Web Protection blocks websites in more than 70 categories, forces safe searching, sets time restrictions, allows customization of allow/block lists, lets parents override a block by typing a password, contains enhanced anti-tamper features, categorizes new malicious and adult sites in real time, and is compatible with Mac and Windows machines.

KidRocket is a child-safe browser that contains an Internet filter, parental control, a pop-up blocker, a "lockdown" feature to protect the computer's desktop, allow/block of printing and email, and usage timers.

Control Kids filters out pornographic and violent websites; blocks program downloads and personal data transmission; records children's visits to websites and chats; logs keystrokes, automatically closes pop-up windows and erases tracking cookies.

Microsoft Child Safety Features

Windows Vista and 7 contain parental control features to help manage, monitor and control computer use by children. Windows Live Family Safety (See Resources) software helps parents filter information based on the kids' ages, limits searches, allows/blocks specific websites and lets parents monitor online use by children. Microsoft Security Essentials, a free download (See Resources), protects computers from a child's accidental download of spyware, viruses and other undesirable software.

Creating user accounts in Windows XP, Vista or 7 allows parents to limit children's computer use by disallowing them to change system settings or install software or hardware, including media players, chat programs and games.

Internet Explorer allows parents to assign security levels to specific websites. Viewing the "History" in Internet Explorer allows parents an opportunity to see where the child has surfed.

For information about how to enable, configure and use the built-in settings in Microsoft programs, visit the Microsoft Online Safety website (See Resources).