When kids are online
As children head back to school, here are ways to keep them – and your computers – safe
The summer is waning and the kids are back in school, which could create a whole set of computer issues in many households. Even though your child may have a tablet and a smartphone, he or she will still need to share the family computer or your laptop to type documents, prepare presentations, and access the internet, which could expose a child to socially offensive websites. Also a young child could endanger your irreplaceable files by opening dangerous attachments or inadvertently downloading malware.
You could stand guard over the computer whenever your child is using it, or resort to software solutions. What route you take to protect the computer and the child will depend on your computer abilities, and the level of trust and rapport you have with the youngster.
There are many retail programs, called internet filtering software, to protect your computer and the child using it. The best software will be easy to configure and run quietly in the background without constantly reminding the child his or her activity is being monitored and controlled.
Top Ten Reviews has tested, reviewed, and rated the most popular filtering software (www.toptenreviews.com/software/security/ best-internet-filter-software). It’s interesting to note that the highest rated, Net Nanny (www.netnanny.com), claims to be designed for people who are “technologically challenged.”
You should also be aware that if you are using the retail version of an internet security suite, such as MacAfee, Norton, F-secure, or Kaspersky, customizable parental filtering and monitoring controls are included. In addition you will be protected from your child accidentally installing any malware or viruses.
However, before reaching for your credit card, there are free solutions. One is a program called K9 Web Protection (www1.k9webprotection.com). It’s earned stellar reviews and is available for Windows and Mac computers, iPad or Android tablets, and smart phones. K9 also claims to be not just for children, but will also protect adults from the worst of the internet, including malicious sites and dangerous downloads.
Another source of protection for your computer, programs, files, and child, comes included in your Windows operating system. On a Windows 7 or 8.1 computer go into the User Accounts section of the Control Panel and make any user other than you a Standard user without a password. A standard user, unlike the Administrator, can use the computer but not install software or make any changes to the computer’s settings. Windows 10 will let you set up a child account with similar restrictions.
Also included in any version of Windows is parental controls. The controls in Win 7 are pretty basic and you can find instructions for THE EXAMINER setting them up at the How-To Geek site (http://tinyurl.com/ y8oughp).
In Win 8.1 and 10 parental controls were re-named Family Safety and the features became quite comprehensive, such as settings to filter websites by content and age level, restrict the use of apps on the computer, and set time limits. In Windows 10 to use Family Safety the parent must log in to the computer with a Microsoft account and the child must also be given a Microsoft account, which may not appeal to a lot of parents. In exchange for setting up the accounts the parent can access the Family Safety website, monitor the child’s online behaviour, get email alerts, and make changes to the settings. There is a nine page set of instructions for doing this at the Tech Radar site (http://tinyurl. com/y7o7o9wo).
Windows 8.1 will let you use Family Safety with a local account instead of creating Microsoft accounts for everyone and you will get pretty good web filtering and other controls. There are instructions at the PC World site (http:// tinyurl.com/y8ukyknp).
A child will quickly realize the presence of filtering software and the degree of control you impose will depend on factors such as trust, internet awareness, family relations, and how savvy you are at setting up software. The bottom line is that no amount of software can replace sensible and attentive parental supervision and an open discussion about your expectations and your child’s responsibilities.