Internet Safety Tips For Teens & Parents - Filters & Monitoring Software

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The big problem with internet filters is that they can not think. Rather, they can only sift through the textual information included with a given web page, video, or image. For example, if you visit my sample page and video showing how badly filters fail, you will see that a filter provides a very false sense of protection! My sample page shows that a video or image that is explicit in nature is only detected if the author or publisher chooses to label it as such with text titles and tags. (Don't worry, the sample items I have only feature text with no slang terms, not images) There is no such thing (yet) as a filter that has the ability to recognize and identify individual images or videos as being explicit. If you are lucky, the internet filter will block the page that the image or video is on because of other text on the page that triggers the filter. Do you want to rely on luck? Filters can't think, they can only read words.

I have tried a lot of different approaches to internet safety, but the only sure way to guarantee safety is to use software that only allows hand-picked sites to be accessed. One of the few commercial filters that allows this option currently is CyberPatrol. In this program, you can create a list of allowable sites and close off the internet to all other sites. So perhaps you could allow your child to check out sites with the filter off or at a less restrictive setting under your supervision, and then enter those sites into the "allowable sites list". Then, if your child is not being supervised, change the setting to "Allowable Sites Only". I tried this - it works!

Did you know that you can set up the same type of "White List" for free if you have Windows Vista? You simply set up users accounts for family members and then implement the Parental Controls to allow access for Allowed Sites only. And you designate the sites. I have set up a step by step tutorial on how to do this - see Setting Up White List Internet Filter on Windows Vista.

Save 10% on CyberPatrol Parental Controls with Coupon Code PCSAVE10

Here are some good guidelines for keeping your children from viewing objectionable internet sites:

• Use an internet filter that allows you to shut off all but your preapproved list of sites. Surprisingly, many filters do not have this option. CyberPatrol does have the option and might be a good option if you don't have Windows Vista.
• If you choose to trust your filter, place your family computer in an open area of the home rather than in a remote room.
• Use a computer password to shut off access to your computer when you are not around. Or at least use a filter that allows you to shut off internet access.
• Consider using a monitoring software program like Spector. This will take screen shots of sites visited. Letting your kids know that "you know where they have visited" can be a great deterent in itself! Although in my opinion, the OFF button is perhaps the best deterent!
• Chat rooms and other areas of the internet where kids interact with strangers are always an invitation for trouble. In our internet filter, we can make such sites off limits. Email for older teens is OK, provided it is email sent/received to/from friends that are well known.
• If your child is on Facebook or other social network, require them to include you as a "friend". This will allow you to see what other friends are posting in their space.
• Don't trust any filters for sifting through web sites except those that allow you to completely turn off the internet access or limit it to hand picked sites. Use the FREE Windows Vista Internet Filter or CyberPatrol to limit access. If you decide to get CyberPatrol, make sure to enter the Coupon Code PCSAVE10 at checkout.

Need help setting up the CyberPatrol "White List" (aka Yes list) of allowed sites? See this page on Setting up the CyberPatrol Yes List. It is fairly simple.