If you think it's perfectly safe to let your child surf the Web unsupervised, you might want to think twice. Letting a child roam the Web with minimal supervision is somewhat akin to sending that child into a city of deviants and sex offenders without any guidance or protection.
Think it's an exaggeration? According to a 2005 study by Family Safe Media, the largest number of Internet porn viewers are children between the ages of 12 and 17 and more than 3/4 of unwanted Internet porn exposure happens in the home. If children are left unprotected, the Internet can become an ugly place.
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StarReviews Top 3
Parental Control Software |
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Fortunately there are ways to protect a child online. First, you need to discuss proper Internet safety with your child. Let them know what's acceptable, what's not and that they can't trust anyone online, no matter what that person may tell them. You can talk to someone for six months in a chat room – that person is still a stranger. Your kids need to know this.
Parental control software is also critical in keeping children safe online. First it will let you know where your kids have been online and quality software will block your children from going places they shouldn't go online. Star Reviews rated NetNanny as the top parental control software available, praising its affordability and its tracking of instant message sessions.
When looking for a parental control software for your child's online activities, look for one that best suits your needs. You might not want to see screen shots of everything your child is doing online, but you might want to know exactly what websites they visit and what is being said in their chat logs. While you can't hold your child's hand every minute they're on the Web, you can keep an eye on what's going on and step in when necessary.