What's the best net nanny software for a child's computer?

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ImagesAndWords

ImagesAndWords

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To all the parents here on WF who have young kids, I need your help on this one.. :)

My kids are 8 and 10 and got their own pc's here recently. They're already playing FPS games and surfing the web like crazy, but I really wanna have some control over what they're doing/seeing on da intrawebs.

Some day they will be ready for Wickedfire, the NSFW threads, goatse cakes, and Skittles threads - just not quite yet..

I could go on Google and read all the biased reviews (written by other affiliates or content writers, lol) but I rather go the lazy route and ask here... :D

So, what do you guys recommend as a good piece of software for blocking/filtering? I need an app that has decent or advanced configuration options and not just a "trust us - we will block it all for ya"(TM) kinda apps.

For example, I wanna be able to let them go on YouTube, but not search for or view certain clips there based on keywords I specify.

Thanks!
 


8 and 10? WOah. I'd say they are already ready for the skittles thread... Well, at least if you ask chris
 
I'm not a parent, But I have helped friends block their kids PCs. For a free option I would recommend a combination of Blue Coat K9 installed on the machine, plus setup OpenDNS on your router or on each individual computer. That will let you block categories and rated websites. with K9 you can also block proxies, and choose which times they can access the internet. OpenDNS just backs that up to hopefully fill any holes.
Keyword based filtering is tougher in my experience. K9 does it, but it's not perfect. Though nothing really is.
You can also purchase SpectorPro to at least keep tabs on everything that goes on the computer and play it back like a video and keep track of chat logs. hope that helps.
 
ImagesAndWords said:
To all the parents here on WF who have young kids, I need your help on this one.. :)

My kids are 8 and 10 and got their own pc's here recently. They're already playing FPS games and surfing the web like crazy, but I really wanna have some control over what they're doing/seeing on da intrawebs.

Some day they will be ready for Wickedfire, the NSFW threads, goatse cakes, and Skittles threads - just not quite yet..

I could go on Google and read all the biased reviews (written by other affiliates or content writers, lol) but I rather go the lazy route and ask here... :D

So, what do you guys recommend as a good piece of software for blocking/filtering? I need an app that has decent or advanced configuration options and not just a "trust us - we will block it all for ya"(TM) kinda apps.

For example, I wanna be able to let them go on YouTube, but not search for or view certain clips there based on keywords I specify.

Thanks!
Click to expand...


Not busting your balls, but you need to be around them when they're online up to the age they're 15/16. If you can't be around them, you have to assume that they'll see something (hidden goatse link, malware download, etc.) so the best nanny software is a local user account for the kid, with a password that changes every few days. If you're not in room, they're not on the PC.

Seriously, I wish more parents were concerned about kids online, kudos to you for being a good parent! The end result is if the kids wants something, they'll find it.
 
Don't let them install limewire or any other P2P networks.

Seriously. Go on there and check every once in awhile. I saw more fucked up shit in my early teens than I'd care to admit thanks to Kazaa and morpheus.
 
Any good old site blocker software - set the homepage to pornhub and block educational websites.

--

From experience I know that being to controlling could lead to your kids learning ways around the limitations. In high school, it was the annoying site blocker that motivated me to find a proxy program, then when they blocked the use of non pre-approved programs I found out how to install linux on a flash drive I could run at school, then later began using web based proxies - and once the distrcit found out how to detect proxy patterns and automatically block them I developed my own proxy script that wasn't the same as the open source/popular ones the blocker was able to detect. /long run on sentence

etc.

Trusting them and giving them responsibility is a good option (then setup a keylogger in the background they don't know about for when they inevtiably betray that trust). Then again, 8-10 is a young age for them to understand responsibility.
 
Try the firefox plugin glubble. (Your kids maybe a bit too old for this but I use it for a 6 and 10 year old. The 10 year old has to put up with it.)

Then remove the IE/Chrome/Opera etc links from their profile.

Hope this helps.

Bugger - only read the first half of your post before replying. The advanced options you're looking for are not in Glubble.
 
I used to work for a non-profit that taught kids internet safety. We always recommended K9 Web Protection.
 
I tried a few different ones and they all have their pros and cons. I particularly dislike anything that requires traffic being logged through a service's proxy server since it slows it down and frankly, I just don't trust them. They are beneficial for keeping the exclusion list more up to date than a locally installed solution.

I just wrote my own little snapshot program that takes screenshots at predetermined intervals and saves them to a well hidden directory for my perusal later. It's more of a reactive approach but it lends itself to keeping them from feeling confined. If they don't have the feeling they are being restricted, they might be more free about where they visit, then I can handle it once that is determined.

It's not like they're not going to learn all of this from their friends at school anyway.
 
-Matt- said:
From experience I know that being to controlling could lead to your kids learning ways around the limitations.
etc.
Click to expand...
Similar experience here.

If you're going to install blocking programs, it's best that you install the access level on your own user account, and give them separate accounts with restricted access, and modification as necessary (i.e. glubble for the youngin).
Remove their ability to install or allow installs on their accounts.

But as bb_wolfe said, you've gotta be around for them and monitor them.
I think I wouldn't have turned out half as fucked up as I am if my parents had actually made sure my computer was in the common rooms once I'd gotten my first modem.
 
You can install programs that block sites, but dont go as far as snooping on your kids. It is wrong and will come back to bite you in the ass in the future.
 
Try this. Children's Educational Network

I used to work for this company a long time ago and it was a pretty decent product then.
It has a parent admin section where you can lock down the browser so your kids can't close it without a parent putting in a password, so they can't get out of it and open a different browser.
It works off of a white list of approved sites and as a parent, you can add approved sites in the admin area, so if you want your kids to be able to access youtube, you can add it for them.

Has animated characters that guide the younger kids by telling them how to do stuff.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.. :)

I should have mentioned that me and my wife are far from the parents who want to put strict rules and regulations on everything they may get exposed to. Like -Matt- and wickedDUDE mentioned - too many restrictions will only lead to them getting curious to see more and finding ways around it.

We are very open with our kids and have no problems with them seeing boobs or normal nudity. Growing up in Europe, they can see that on national television or in public places in the summer anyway ;) Nbd.

But of course - there are things that they still are too young to be exposed to. Hardcore sex, beastiality, snuff / death videos, etc. Sure, they will inevitably see it at some point in their lives but if we can do our best to limit the worst shit when they are still little kids, that's a big plus.

I think I will take a blend of all the tips above and try some of the things out along with some common sense.

Thanks again!
 
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