Parental Control applications ideas/application/how-to help

Hello,

I just wanna ask some points on using Parental Control on a suite like FSecure, Eset Smart Security and other free services such as Norton Online family and K9 Web protection. I have not any experience using one as my pc/pc's are used by adults. Then comes a friend who is asking how does it work. I have an FSecure IS 2011 license hanging around and he's planning to (but not yet) getting ESS ver5.

Have you guys(who have experience using them) any ideas as to how this parental control options of the said suites:

a. how they operate
b. how effective is it
c. any suggestions that a parent should know on setting it up
d. any other pertinent information..please.

Along this line maybe you guys(as a parent) can share some ideas tips on limiting kids/adolescents web browsing on adult/dangerous material. What software or other services you use or setup to guard such kids on the dangers of the net please I wanna hear it if I may so I can help guide my friend.

The freeware servuices I have mentioned I only saw thru "techsupportalert" (Norton Online family and K9 Web protection) any ideas, experience on them or some other related applications?

Thank you guys!

 

I can't speak for the applications listed because I have never used them. However I would like to offer some general advice to maybe help further strengthen the system. Unfortunately kids will be kids, I say that to the point, no system is fool proof and depending on the age of the child and their tech savvy they may be able to circumvent some programs. Depending on how best this must work I would suggest the following:

1) After you have chosen your software and using a windows machine, set up a limited user account and change the default windows admin password. This would prevent the child from easily just disabling the software on the computer.

2) You can also filter sites at the network level, most small office home routers allow you to filter web content and traffic. You can re-enforce your filtering program and prevent any circumvention. Additionally you can block all but a few websites you want them to visit only.

3) Free proxy service websites (search on Google for "free web proxy") can hide further web page browsing from parental controls. Most parental control software will automatically block access to these sites, though additionally you can try to mitigate this on your router as well.

Hope these tips help.

 

@EncryptedBytes

Thank you for the ideas that you shared. I really do not use such. I have KIS 2012 but I don't even use the Parental Control feature there. I will take into consideration the limted user account. If you were to set one how will yo do that for a teenager aged 12 and 10..?

Along this line the pc that my friend that he's planning to use Parental Control is a Dell Optiplex series desktop with 2gb ram, no video card and running Windows 7 Basic. Now it's running Avast and it does not have parental control. Avast IS has capability to block sites but again no PC. I don't know how will it fair when I install FSecure IS there as I remember when I tried it out an old pc with 2.5gb was rather slow much like BitDefender.

Any ideas...?



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I hope some of you guys can also share some ideas and opinions.

Thank you very much.

 

FYI K9 Web Protection is a strong program when it comes to blocking adult stuff but also at blocking malware.

And/Or you could set up OpenDNS FamilyShield in your PC or Router.
http://www.opendns.com/home-solutions/parental-controls

 

Hello SweX,

Thank you for the additional input there. My friend is trying out the one with OpenDNS and seems to love it but still observing. If there will be any issues I bet he'll check out K9.