I've Got My Eye on You -- Parental Control Software

 

Kids these days are more connected than ever. Instant messaging, MySpace, cell phones - they are virtually always just a click away from contact with a friend or family member. And when they sit down at the family computer, they're a click away from connecting to who-knows-what and who-knows-who.

If you have children in your house using a computer, you may want to consider parental control software, which lets parents limit what their kids can see online, manage time spent on the internet, select which programs children can use, and monitor and log all internet activity. This software has made significant improvements over recent years, and now does a very good job at giving parents the protection they are looking for.

There are many programs that address this issue, but here are a few that we would probably check out:

CyberPatrol probably has more options than other programs, including the ability to restrict access to programs on the computer's hard drive, as well as Internet activity. However, it does require an annual subscription and can only be installed on a single computer, whereas Safe Eyes allows up to 3 installs. Parental control software is also usually included as part of an Internet security suite, such as Norton Internet Security or ZoneAlarm Internet Security. If you have one of these suites, you probably should check out their capabilities first, although you'll likely find them to be a bit less robust than the standalone utilities. And finally, Vista comes with some fairly good integrated parental controls, so if you've taken the Vista plunge, you may have your answer right there - if you are willing to trust Microsoft with that aspect of your security protection.

Technology has given us all many benefits, but like many things, they don't come without risks or potential pitfalls. Parental control software can go a long way to giving you just a little bit more piece of mind.