For some reason I get all the PC related questions around the office. . .

A coworker, single mom, is getting her 9 yr. old daughter a PC of her own. She asked me about Parental Control software.

A cursory Google shows a plethora of products, all with lurid warnings of the Internet evils waiting to pounce on children unless you buy their product.

Neither mom nor daughter are power users. Mom is just looking for something that prevents inadvertent access to porn. Personally, I haven't seen uncommanded porn for quite a while now, but people worry about their children and I can't blame them.

So, I'm not a parent, this is new territory for me.

Anyone out there use parental control software on their kids machines? Any suggestions?

I've used a few of them and have settled with Norton Internet Security, each has their pro's and con's but it seems that NIS is the most comprehensive outta the box. I think NIS has a trial version she could try first.

https://fss.live.com/

Free beta program from Microsoft... give it a spin.

I've tried several, mostly to keep time limits on their use of the computer and am currently using Cyber Patrol. None of the products have exactly the features I want, but this one seems pretty easy to deal with.

That's a very good point. I think that, regardless of whatever net nanny software your friend winds up with, it's imperative that she use a good pop-up stopper, as well as something that will stop malware java scripts from executing. I like Webroot SpySweeper for this purpose, as well as FireFox, rather than Internet Explorer, for browsing.

Thanks! All very good information. I will pass this along.

I've been using eBlaster for the past...7 or 8 years. (Kids are now 16, 19, 21). Discovered suicide attempts, porn, drinking, all sorts of teen fun.

My kids know they're monitored, and although they complain, they are also weirdly proud of it and brag about it to their friends.

I also use ComputerTime to enforce time limits.

The computer is set up in such a way that our kids can't hide what they're seeing. I find that more effective than software.

Agreed: it is very helpful to put the computer and the TV in the main family room.

It is helpful, and I recommend it as well. With 3 teenage children I am unable to physically be in the room every time someone was on the computer, and the software is just an addition to my parental arsenal.

wow that sounds exactly like my kids but my kids hate it with a passion. I will have to look at computertime, im using the linksys access restrictions now to turn off the computer from 3p-6pm for homework and dinner then turn it on from 6pm to 10pm, the problem i have with the linksys is if you tell it to turn off at 10pm it wont allow you to pick a time after 11:55pm for some reason if you put 12:00am it says the time must be after the start time. A weird quirk I guess.

That's true. In our case someone is always there. We take the wireless adapter out at night and keep it in our room, so no sneaking a peek at night.

I have Content Watch installed on the kids PC. I emails me regularly with reports of any blocked sites. It drives them crazy because so many sites are categorised as "shopping" due to the ads displayed, and I have chosen to block shopping sites (just because I can ).

But the main parental control is to have the PC in the main living area and we do not permit it to be taken into their bedrooms.

The PC has become an essential homework tool and is now a contentious resource that has to be scheduled. Its become time to invest in yet another computer for the home .