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Let Internet Explorer Play Web CopThe Annoyance:I don't want my kids growing up to be fry cooks at McDonald's, so I got them a computer with a fast Internet connection. Now I'm afraid they'll become a little too worldly, too soon. How do I shield them from the Net's nasty, dark underbelly? The Fix:The first thing you can do is set up separate logons for each child, with settings appropriate to each age group. You'll also want to set yourself up as the adminstrator for that computer, so you can control what they can and can't do with it. (For the skinny on how to set up accounts, see Chapter 2, "One Computer, Many Eyeballs") If you share a computer, this will help keep them from eyeing your browser history or snooping around in your private files. Once you've done that, you can log on as your child and adjust his or her browser settings to limit what sites they can visit, based on their content. (Though my advice is to use such content filters sparingly; see "Hire a Nanny.") Internet Explorer 6.x comes with an older ratings system devised by the Recreational Software Advisory Council (RASCi), which is now part of the Internet Content Ratings Association. To turn the Ratings system on, select Tools Of course, site labeling is entirely voluntary and the vast majority of web sites are unrated. To keep your kids from wandering onto the wrong site, select the General tab and make sure the "Users can see sites that have no rating" box is unchecked. If you want to give kids the option of visiting an unrated site (with your approval, of course), check the box next to "Supervisor can type a password to allow users to view restricted content." You will quickly grow tired of doing this for unrated sites they like to visit over and over. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to select the Approved Sites tab, type the names of sites the kids can visit whether they're rated or not, and click the Always button. (To ban sites you never want them to see, you can simply type the URL and click the Never button.) When you're done customizing the settings, click OK twice to confirm your choices.
Hire a NannyThe Annoyance:My kids already know more about my computer than I do including how to get around the browser settings. I need a better strategy. The Fix:You've got a couple of options. One is to use an ISP that offers more control over what your progeny can and can't do online. AOL and MSN both fit that description nicely (see Figure 3-11). You can set up profiles based on their age, which send your kids to special child-friendly home pages, with prebuilt filters for browsing, chat, instant messaging, and email. MSN has a neat feature where if your child is surfing and encounters a web site that's blocked by the parental controls, he or she can email you a note asking for instant approval to visit the site. annoyances 3-11. Worried about your kids' online wanderings? Let AOL play digital babysitter.![]() ZoneAlarm's Security Suite comes with a built-in web filter, though it's turned off by default. To turn it on, launch the Control Center and select Web Filtering from the list of integrated applets. On the Main tab, check the "On" box under Parental Control. If you want Zone to assess sites that don't provide a rating (most of the nasty ones don't) and block the bad ones on the fly, check the "On" box under Smart Filtering DRTR Technology. Then click the Categories tab to pick the types of site you want to block. When you're done, close the Control Center. Be warned, however, that Zone's web filter is an extremely blunt instrument. You can't create exceptions within a blocked category. For example, if you choose to block "Adult: Pornography" sites, you won't be able to watch any videos on iFilm.com, regardless of how innocent they might be, because iFilm contains some adult material. And Zone's filter blocks anyone using the computer, regardless of what name they used to log on. If you want more control over your kids' web surfiing, invest $30 to $50 in a program such as Content Protect (http://www.contentwatch.com), CyberSitter (http://www.cybersitter.com), or Net Nanny (http://www.netnanny.com). This type of software lets you create custom profiles for each user, and lets you police instant messages, email, file downloads, and virtually any other type of Net activity. (For more details, check out the chart at http://www.internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/.) Many security suites (like those from Norton, McAfee, and Zone Labs) also come with limited web content filters. However, relying on any third-party monitoring solution can be problematic. For one thing, no software can possibly keep up with the constant flow of nastiness that is on the Net, so you'll need to constantly update the program's filters and even then there will always be ways to find sites they've missed. The other problem is that you're relying on someone else's idea of what's acceptable. Since these programs first appeared in the mid-90s, critics have documented instances of them mistaking medical sites for porn content or blocking controversial (usually left/liberal) political sites. (For more on the anti-monitoring point of view and ways to defeat major filtering programs visit the Peacefire site http://www.peacefire.org.) My advice: if you're configuring Net access for a young child, create a list of sites you'd allow them to visit and block everything else, then gradually add to the list over time. If you've got a tween or a teen who needs the Net for research, I'd suggest a product like Net Nanny (or AOL Guardian) that lets you monitor web use without necessarily blocking access and a serious discussion about appropriate online behavior. AOL Guardian can limit access to sites and other content based on your child's age, shut down the connection after a specified period of time, and give you a detailed report on their online activity. If your weekly report shows they've been visiting sites they shouldn't have, then it's time for a talk. Another good idea is to put the computer in the living room or some other common area where you can keep an eye on it they're less likely to do anything risky or risqué if you're in the room. Thanks for Not SharingThe Annoyance:I don't mind my kids roaming the Net, but I'm afraid they'll tell some stranger where we live or start sharing my credit card information in a chat room. The Fix:Use your firewall's privacy protection feature, if it has one, to prevent your kids from spilling specific information over the net like your home address, phone number, and so on (see Figure 3-12). For example, to do this with ZoneAlarm 5 Security Suite, launch the ZoneAlarm control panel (Start annoyances 3-12. Don't let the half-pints spill the beans. A good security suite (like ZoneAlarm 5.0, pictured here) will let you specify what information your kids can and can't share over the Net.![]()
I H8 IMThe Annoyance:When she's not sleeping or talking on the phone, my teenage daughter is Instant Messaging her friends. She's even started talking in IM lingo. How do I keep the online creeps away from her without ruining her fun? The Fix:Both AOL and MSN let you specify who your kids can and can't communicate with via IM. If kids want to add someone to their list, they'll have to go through you first (see "Your Own Private AOL"). But a truly determined teen will figure out a way to get around any restrictions you put in her way for example, by downloading a separate copy of AOL Instant Messenger and creating a new screen name. Your best strategy is to discuss appropriate online behavior with your kids and stress the importance of caution and good judgment, especially when dealing with strangers. The Wired Teens site offers good advice on dealing with IM (http://www.wiredteens.org/teensim.html), while Larry Magid's Safe Teens site (http://www.safeteens.com) offers general guidelines for both teens and their beleaguered parents.
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