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Sexual Offender Registries / State Specific Information.
·1 out of 5 kids has been sexually solicited online
·1 out of 4 kids has been sent a picture of naked people
or people having sex online
·that May 21, 2002 there was the first death of a child
linked directly to an Internet Predator?
Parents' biggest concern about the Internet used to be
pornography, but there is definitely a greater fear today.
You have probably taught your child not to talk to
strangers, and in many situations, they would remember
this. But the Internet is different.
Due to the Internet's anonymity, strangers are talking to
children all the time. They try to gain the child's trust
by having friendly conversation at first, but over time,
their true objective of sexually soliciting the child
becomes evident. Children and parents alike are unaware
of this, yet this is exactly what is going on via the
Internet.
What can today's parent do? Armed with information,
there's quite a bit a parent can do.
1. Tell your child to NEVER EVER reveal their name,
address, phone number or any other personal information to
ANYONE online. Once you give out this information, it is
impossible to retract.
2. Communicate regularly (not just once) with your child
about WHAT they do online and WHO they talk to online. If
you have actually met the friends they are talking to in
person, you'll know it is OK for them to chat with them
online.
3. Take computers out of kids' rooms and put them into
public areas such as the family room. Many parents think
they are helping with homework by giving the kids a
computer, but it also opens certain dangers that you may
be unaware of.
4. Choose your child's screen name, email address or
instant message name wisely - don't' reveal ages, sex,
hobbies, and CERTAINLY NOT suggestive or sexy names.
Predators are more likely to pursue a child with the
screen name "sexyteen5" than "happygirl5"
5. Use technology to help you protect your child.
Monitoring software gives you the ability to review your
child's Internet usage. Even if you don't look at each
and every email or instant message they send, you'll have
a good idea if they are making smart choices online.
The Internet can open many doors and provide useful
information for children. An aware and informed parent
can help keep children safe.
MONITORING SOFTWARE - This is software that lets parents
see everything their kids are doing online. It can be
installed either totally invisible or in a mode that warns
children that they are being watched. Monitoring software
can record every single email, instant message, chat
session, website, and even children's passwords.
FILTERING SOFTWARE - This is software that blocks kids
from inappropriate websites such as pornography, hate,
violence, or generally any other topic a parent does
not want their child to see. It is usually quite
customizable (parent can add words/phrases that interest
them) and also has some supplemental features: the
ability to limit the amount of time kids spend online,
privacy filters that can prevent a child from revealing
their name, address, phone, or any other personal detail, etc.
Once you decide if you are more interested in MONITORING or
FILTERING, the next step is which specific product is best
for your needs.
MONITORING PRODUCTS
The #1 recommendation for monitoring software is Spector PRO.
It recently won PC Magazine Editor's Choice for "Activity
Monitoring" and is by far the easiest, most reliable, and
best supported package.It captures ALL instant messages, ALL email (including Hotmail and Yahoo mail) all websites, keystrokes, and more. However, to view what has been recorded with Spector PRO, a
parent must sit down at the computer to access it.
For parents who may work late or travel a lot, a REMOTE MONITORING solution may be best. eBlaster is similar in features to Spector PRO, but will EMAIL you the recorded information remotely. That way, if your child comes home from school and you are still working, you can set it to email you exactly what they are doing while you are at
work. eBlaster is also a very reliable product and includes
live phone support, just like Spector PRO.
Last is the monitoring package: IamBigBrother. It includes most of the same features as Spector PRO, but only has email based tech support available. This product is best for people who are somewhat computer familiar, and are comfortable downloading and installing software with limited tech support.
FILTERING PRODUCTS
The #1 recommendation for filtering is Cyber Sentinel. It is
based on words and phrases that are totally customizable, but
also the context in which these are used. The software is
very easy to use and flexible, and includes live phone support.
Features include: web/email/chat blocking, time limitations,
privacy filters and more. One limitation is that you can only
set up a "master" profile - not separate preferences for different
children.
For parents with children of different ages, Net Nanny may be
a good choice. It is similar in features to Cyber Sentinel, but
you can set up specific preferences for each child who uses
the Internet in your home. That way, you can be more flexible
with a 16 year old, but more restrictive with a 11 year old. New
to Net Nanny version 5 is pop-up blocking, a feature many
parents will surely appreciate.
Overall, choosing a safety product can seem like a tough task, but
with the right experts and advice, it does not have to be.
SPECTOR PRO
I AM BIG BROTHER
CYBER SENTINEL
NET NANNY
FREE INTERNET MONITORING SOFTWARE
FREE KEYSTROKE MONITORING SOFTWARE
Send E-Mail to: dennyandpenny@adelphia.net
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