Parental Controls

Here are some ways to have some measure of parental control to protect your child from harmful/unsuitable material online:

For Windows Vista Users:

Setting up Parental Controls: 

  1. Go to Start > Control Panel
  2. Under User Accounts > click Set Up Parental Controls. (Type in administrator password if prompted)
  3. Click the standard user account for which you want to set Parental Controls
  4. Under Parental Controls, select On
  5. Once the Parental Controls are turned On, there are various areas that you can control, based on individual settings. These areas include: Web Restrictions, Time Limits, Games, and Allow or Block Specific Programs

For additional help on Vista’s Parental Controls function, please visit: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/help/585539d0-0862-41e4-9b39-53467648efc51033.mspx

For Windows XP and below Users:

Once you have opened your Internet browser,
Go to 

  1. Tools > Internet Options
  2. Click the Content tab > Enable (in the Content Advisor dialogue box)
  3. Click the General tab (in the Content Advisor dialogue box)
  4. Click Create Password > OK
  5. Go back to Settings (in the Content Advisor dialogue box)
  6. Type in the password you have previously set > OK > Approved Sites
  7. Under Allow This Website, type in the URL of the website you want to approve/block and select Always or Never to allow/block the site.
  8. Click Apply > OK

For additional help regarding more specific areas of internet dangers, please visit: http://www.cvc.net/hp/setting_parental_controls.html

For Macintosh OS X 10.5 (Leopard) Users:

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences
  2. Click Parental Controls
  3. Choose your child’s user account
  4. Enter your administrator password
  5. Click Enable Parental Controls
  6. Select your Parental Controls based on individual settings. Browsing history can be viewed under the Logs tab
  7. Select OK

For Macintosh OS X 10.4 (Tiger) Users:

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences
  2. Click Accounts
  3. If some settings are dimmed, click the lock icon and type in an administrator name and password
  4. Select your child’s user account
  5. Click Parental Controls
  6. Select Finder & System in the family controls list > click Configure
  7. To set limits for your child, select Some Limits
  8. Chose suitable limits for your child, then click OK

Other Parental Control softwares online:

For Windows users:
Crawler Parental Control
Bluecoat’s K9 Web Protection
Control Kids

For Macintosh users:
KidsBrowser
CutX for Safari
Content Barrier X4

Spotting the Signs Early

Here are some signs your child might exhibit if he/she were being exposed to pornography and violence:

  1. Increased disobedience.
  2. Increased number of hours spent on the Internet.
  3. Increased use of vulgar language and violent actions.
  4. Turning off the monitor or switching the screen when you enter the room.
  5. Your child is on the Internet late at night.
  6. When discussing online activity, your child becomes defensive.

Supervision of your Child’s Online Activities

  1. Place the computer/laptop in an public area where you or another adult can supervise easily and regularly, e.g. living room, kitchen.
  2. Remind your child of safe Internet ettiquete.
  3. Track your child’s activities previous online activities by viewing Internet History or by going to Internet Options > General > Settings (under Browsing History dialogue box) > View Files.

Remeber! The most effective way is to maintain a good relationship between you and your child and constantly share about your life, encouraging your child to do the same.