Internet Safety and Security

Protect kids online with these tips

These ideas can help parents deal with cyber-bullying, predators and porn.

By Melissa Healy

January 26, 2009

Last week, the Supreme Court quietly let die a federal law dubbed the Child Online Protection Act, which made it a crime in the United States to post sexually explicit material on the Web for commercial gain without making provisions to block kids from gaining access.

A lower court in Philadelphia had struck down the law, arguing that parents could already shield their children from such material by installing Internet filters. Bush administration lawyers had appealed, countering that less than half of parents use such filters, leaving children in need of the laws protection. It was an argument the justices declined to take up, dismissing the case.

The legal wrangling underscored a long-standing truth about kids and the Internet: No matter how ill-equipped they may be, parents are their childrens last line of defense against smut, cruelty, adult predators and the poor judgment of youth online.

Installing Internet filters can be an effective block against pornographic images. But for many parents, they are daunting technology that can limit adults — and kids — legitimate searches as well, including those for information on sexual health.

They also are a poor defense against cyber-bullying and sexual solicitation on social networking sites.

Smart moves

Following are tips from the National Assn. of School Psychologists on protecting your kids online, even if your own online skills lag behind theirs.

Keep computers in easily viewable places, such as the family room or kitchen.

Talk regularly with your children about the online activities in which they are involved and Internet etiquette in general. Children should know the rule that many adults have learned from painful experience: Do not say online what you would not say in person.

Encourage children to be self-protective. Remind them that anything they say on the Internet or in phone text messages can be shared with others and misused. Ask them to consider if they want what they are saying and doing broadly disseminated. If not, they probably should not say or post it.

Be specific about the risks of cyber-bullying and their need to tell you if something that bothers them occurs.

Respect for adolescents privacy is important. But tell children that you may review their online communications if you have reason for concern.

Set clear expectations for responsible online behavior and phone use and consequences for violating those expectations.

Consider establishing a parent-child Internet use contract.

Consider installing parental-control filtering software or tracking programs but do not rely solely on these tools.

Be aware of warning signs that might indicate your son or daughter is being bullied, such as reluctance to use the computer, a change in the childs behavior and mood, or reluctance to go to school.

Document the bullying.

Be equally alert to the possibility that your child could be bullying others online, even if unintentionally.

Understand current local laws and your school policies. Work with your school to develop policies if they dont exist.

If you have concerns, contact your childs school to enlist the help of the school psychologist, school counselor, principal or resource officer.

File a complaint with the website, Internet service provider or cellphone company if you learn of problematic behavior.

Contact police if the cyber-bullying includes threats.

via Protect kids online with these tips – Los Angeles Times.

Technorati Tags: Children, computer, Filtering, health, help, Internet, Internet Filter, Internet Filters, network, Online, parents, predators, privacy, protection, service, web

Protecting Children Children, computer, Filtering, health, help, Internet, Internet Filter, Internet Filters, network, Online, parents, predators, privacy, protection, service, web

M2Z Networks’ proposal to build a free wireless broadband network is not the only controversial part of its business plan. Just as contentious is its intention to filter the content delivered over that network to block material deemed inappropriate for children.

Free-speech advocates on the left and right have expressed alarm at M2Z’s plans to build a family-friendly network that would weed out objectionable sites by blocking particular Internet domain names.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin took up that idea in his proposal to auction off a chunk of spectrum that would be used in part to deliver a basic broadband service over the nation’s airwaves. It would ultimately be up to the FCC to decide exactly how any filtering mandate would work, including whether the filters would be located on the network or on user devices.

Wireless Internet plan spurs debate on filtering | courier-journal | The Courier-Journal.

Technorati Tags: Children, Filtering, Internet, Internet Filter, network, service

Internet Filters Children, Filtering, Internet, Internet Filter, network, service

Children, whether at school or home, will try to bypass web filters that are placed between them and the internet. Not all, but most have either a rebellious streak (remember yours) or a curiosity that will kill the cat.

Internet filtering has become big business for some companies, providing parents with peace of mind. But, is that peace justified?  Are there ways for children to bypass internet filters without their parents knowing?

Ask a teen. They will tell you that there is more than one way to bypass most filters. Maybe they catch you typing in the password for them, maybe they use a web proxy to bypass the school filter, whatever way, some ingenious little bugger at school will figure it out and tell all his friends.

In particular web based proxies have been a problem for most internet filters.  There are new ones created on a regular basis. Some free speech and children’s rights advocates believe they are doing children a favor by allowing them to bypass the protection a loving parent has provided for his or her child. It is much like purposely leaving the back door wide open while the parent deadbolts the front door and thinks all is well.

That is why you need an Internet filtering service and not just free software. First of all, the free internet filters can’t keep up with the ever changing internet. They have little or no budget for continued research and monitoring of new sites. You need a team of professionals, whose job it is to monitor what’s going on and daily make the changes needed to protect your children online.

An internet filtering service that combines filtering, monitoring, reporting and continued research and development is the only thing that is going to help. Clean Internet is one such company. In business for over 10 years, Clean Internet is company that knows where the internet has been and where it is going. Protect your kids today with a reliable filter that doesn’t have password that can be compromised and won’t let web proxies bypass the internet filter.

Clean Internet, click here to find out more.

Technorati Tags: Bypass, Children, Filtering, help, Internet, Internet Filter, Online, parents, protection, report, service, web, web filter

Internet Filter Bypass, Children, Filtering, help, Internet, Internet Filter, Online, parents, protection, report, service, web, web filter

The Internet is a powerful research and communication tool; however, it contains an enormous amount of information that can be offensive to adults, and unsuitable and sometimes downright dangerous to children. There is a large amount of explicit, but legal, material on the Internet. There are bomb recipes, hate speech and obscene language, all mixed in with political, legal, educational and sports-related resources. The Internet is not owned or regulated by one particular place or person; therefore, anything can be put up on the Internet despite the objections of others. By simply connecting to the web anyone can have instant access to countless pornographic and explicit websites and other websites dealing with hate, violence, and terrorism. There is no universal definition of what is objectionable and what is decent, and children are exposed to ‘objectionable’ material on the Internet everyday. Fortunately there are measures that parents can take to prevent this from happening.Protecting Children online has become a growing industry during the past few years. Internet filtering software identifies and blocks unsuitable content on the Internet, and prevents it from being shown on the screen. No filtering software can be 100% effective, but the best web filtering software successfully blocks out the most undesirable sites, while letting though the more begin sites.
Clean Internet provides protection to children, teenagers and adults who are vulnerable to the negative effects of objectionable material available on the Internet.

The effectiveness of filtering software differs from one program or service to another. While some of them are simple plug-ins for Microsoft Internet Explorer and offer basic filtering of a manually maintained list of URLs, others offer a rich set of features and come with large built in database of white-listed and black-listed websites.

One of the most important attributes an Internet filter program can offer is an easy-to-use design, making it possible for people with all levels of computer experience to easily install and use the filter to its fullest capacity. The most useful Internet filtering software offers reports on what each family member has been doing on the computer, which includes websites visited, chat room activities, and Internet programs used and so on. These log files can be sent daily to a specified email address. In this way parents can monitor their child’s internet activity even when they are away from home.

Technorati Tags: Block Porn, Children, computer, danger, Filtering, instant, Internet, Internet Filter, Online, parents, protection, report, service, web, web filter, Websites

Block pornography, Internet Filter Block Porn, Children, computer, danger, Filtering, instant, Internet, Internet Filter, Online, parents, protection, report, service, web, web filter, Websites

Internet Filtering Software, also known as Porn Blocking software, is software designed and optimized for controlling what content is permitted appear on a computer, especially when it is used to restrict material delivered over the Web. Content-control software determines what content will be available on a particular machine or network; the motive is often to prevent persons from viewing content which the computer’s owner(s) or other authorities may consider objectionable. Common use cases of such software include parents who wish to protect their children by limiting what sites their children may view from home computers, schools performing the same function with regard to computers found at school, and employers restricting what content may be viewed by employees while on the job.

Companies that make products that selectively block Web sites do not refer to these products as censorware, and prefer terms such as “Internet filter” or “URL Filter”; in the specialized case of software specifically designed to allow parents to monitor and protect their children, “parental control software” is also used. Some products log all sites that a user accesses and rates them based on content type for reporting to an “accountability partner” of the person’s choosing, and the term accountability software is used. Internet filters, parental control software, and/or accountability software may also be combined into one product.

Those who believe content-control software is useful may still not agree with certain ways in which it is used, or with mandatory general regulation of information. For example, many would disapprove of filtering viewpoints on  political issues, agreeing that this could become support for propaganda. Many would also find it unacceptable that an ISP, whether by law or by the ISP’s own choice, should deploy such software without giving the users a choice to disable the filtering for their own connections. In addition, some argue that using content-control software may violate sections 13 and 17 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 1998, a United States federal district court in Virginia foolishly ruled that the imposition of mandatory filtering in a public library violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Bill of Rights.

The use of Internet filters or content-control software varies widely in public libraries in the United States, since Internet use policies are established by the local library board. Many libraries adopted Internet filters after Congress conditioned the receipt of universal service discounts on the use of Internet filters through the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Other libraries do not install content control software, believing wrongly that acceptable use policies and educational efforts address the issue of children accessing inappropriate content while preserving what they believe to be adult users’ right to freely access porn. Some libraries use Internet filters on computers used by children only. Some libraries that employ content-control software allow the software to be deactivated on a case-by-case basis on application to a librarian; libraries that are subject to CIPA are required to have a policy that allows adults to request that the filter be disabled without having to explain the reason for their request.

Technorati Tags: Children, computer, Filtering, Internet, Internet Filter, network, parents, protection, report, service, web

Filtering Internet Children, computer, Filtering, Internet, Internet Filter, network, parents, protection, report, service, web

The internet is one of the greatest inventions of all time. As our families become increasingly intertwined with it, the more active role we must take to protect our loved ones from internet pornography. Although nothing can take the place of a well-informed parent that takes an active part in their children’s online activities, Internet filters add a strong, additional layer of defense, giving parents an added measure of control and further peace of mind.

Internet filters give you the ability to control content displayed, block websites and set up passwords. Powerful services like email filtering, popup blocking and chat room monitoring are just some of the tools available with today’s internet filters, each designed to protect against and counteract the tactics of aggressive online porn companies.

With so many internet filters available, researching and choosing the Internet filter that’s right for your family can be complex and time-consuming, that’s where we can help.

What to look for in Internet Filter Software

Even though the perfect internet Filter does not exist in today’s marketplace, there are a number of great solutions depending on your family’s needs. Below are some criteria used to evaluate internet filter software:

· Ease of Use – The most important attribute an Internet filter can offer is an easy-to-use design, making it possible for people with all levels of computer experience to easily install and use the filter to its fullest capacity. 

· High Speed Service – Not much is more frustrating than a slow internet connection. Nobody wants to be brought to a crawl while online; and Clean Internet will NOT slow down your connection, at all.

· Effective at Filtering -  For any type of filter to be effective it must Allow the good and Block the bad. Clean Internet does just that by blocking objectionable material and not filtering valuable content.

· Securely Installed – If a filter can be uninstalled easily… it will be. Clean Internet can not be bypassed by the end user or uninstalled without a call to technical support.

· Filtering Algorithm – Clean Internet uses a combination of filtering techniques, including URL filtering, keyword filtering and dynamic filtering.

· Client-Server Based – Clean Internet offers a flexible platform which allows users to decide whether their optimal filtering solution is client (home computer) based, server (office network) based or a combination of both.

· Foreign Language Filtering – Clean Internet is effective at filtering keywords in multiple languages. One of the tricks that many teenagers have discovered to bypass Internet filters is to type in the foreign language equivalent of certain keywords.

· Port Filtering and Blocking – Block or filter all major Internet protocols, including instant messengers, chat rooms, email, file sharing networks, bulletin boards and popup windows.

· Activity Reporting – Reports available on which web sites were visited and which were Blocked.

With internet filters and proper supervision, parents can keep their families safe from the ever-present problems and help them enjoy the most educational and entertaining aspects of the internet.

Find out more about Internet Filtering at Clean Internernet.

Technorati Tags: Bypass, Children, computer, Filtering, help, instant, Internet, Internet Filter, network, Online, parents, Pornography, protection, report, secure, service, web, Websites

Internet Filters Bypass, Children, computer, Filtering, help, instant, Internet, Internet Filter, network, Online, parents, Pornography, protection, report, secure, service, web, Websites

A Public Service Announcement produced and developed by the Teen Advisory Board of the Mesquite Branch Library, Phoenix Public Library.

Duration : 0:6:15

Read more…

Technorati Tags: Internet, Online, predators, PSA, Safety, service

Internet Safety Internet, Online, predators, PSA, Safety, service

A Public Service Announcement on Internet Safety. You never know who you’re talking to.

Special Thanks to Mr. Frank Musto

Cut with: Pinnacle Studio 10

Duration : 0:4:46

Read more…

Technorati Tags: Children, computer, danger, Internet, Safety, service, stalker

Internet Safety Children, computer, danger, Internet, Safety, service, stalker

In 1999, Obama voted against requiring school boards to put Internet pornography filters on school computers meant for students' use. In 2001, he voted "present" on a bill to keep pornographic book and video stores and strip clubs from setting up within 10,000 feet of schools and churches. In 2003, he voted in the Health and Human Services Committee for a bill requiring "age appropriate" sex-education for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

obama is stupid.
children are always gonna find porn no matter what.

powered by Yahoo Answers

Technorati Tags: Children, church, computer, health, Internet, Pornography, protection, service

Protecting Children Children, church, computer, health, Internet, Pornography, protection, service

There is a substantial amount of obscenity available nowadays. Amazingly, 4.2 million plus pornographic websites can be found on the Internet today. And according to USA Today an extraordinary number of new pages of filth are created daily. What is the likelihood that you or your family could unintentionally stumble across some appearance of improper matter when surfing the net? The correct answer is 100% guaranteed. The pornographer’s efforts will discover you that are how they continue to increase. There are numerous ways to stumble upon porn when surfing on line.

1. Family members innocently typing in erroneous URL’s and accessing x-rated sites by error.
2. Cookies being placed in browsers by adult sites thereby permitting them to follow you and send you x-rated emails.
3. Inquisitive young searching for licentious sites (and they do). Mark Twain said it best, “Adam was human he didn’t want the apple for the apple’s sake; he wanted it because it was forbidden.”

Families need a trustworthy Internet filter service which includes accountability software built in.

It is important to note that, the typical household uses the computer alot more than the TV. Lamentably, most parents perceive that their children are not susceptible to harm while on line and do not need any monitoring. No one statement could be farther from the reality of life. While no one is capable of viewing their families surfing habits during all intervals of use, it is possible to prevent porn from being displayed. It is so important to defend the ones you love when they surf on line. Indecent material can be discovered on almost any popular website in the appearance of advertisement. The slew of filth seems not at all to be retarded from spreading trash all over the Internet. More than 60 million men and women claimed to have visited pornography sites intentionally and 70% of those admit to hiding that fact from others. The erotica effort grosses much more a fiscal year than the big three automakers totaled. That is astonishing information when you consider that the largest age bracket to view filth is the 12 to 17 year olds.

Do you ever considered how significant an Internet filter that stops filth from displaying in your house would be?

Studies maintain that shown that it isn’t just the obscenity but the danger of predators that create the call for to protection of our loved ones. One in five adolescence tolerate being approached inappropriately by a chat room visitor, yet less than 1/3 told any authority about it.

Accountability software is satisfactory, but preventing your loved ones from any time viewing the filthiness in the first place is superior.

Marriages and families are being disintegrated due to husbands and wives by an addiction to on line filth. There seems to be no end to the evil discovered on line. A strong Internet filter that combines accountability software is the solitary way to secure a defense for everyone in the house. Internet filtering will improve security for your household, providing safer participation on line. Pornography, gambling and Internet scandals are not benign activities, they are harmful and they will find you even if you are not looking for them! Clean Internet helps you safeguard the ones you love.

Accountability software united with a reliable Internet filter is the easiest most effectual way to shield families on line.

Clean Internet provides a remarkable bulwark for your families. There is a myriad of Christian homes nowadays that are vulnerable, or possess fallible security arrangements. Clean Internet was formed to battle these issues, to supply the essential tools for families and ministries to protect themselves wherever worldwide.

Technorati Tags: Children, computer, content filter, danger, Filtering, help, Internet, Internet Filter, Online, parents, Pornography, predators, protection, scandal, secure, service, web, web filter, Websites

Internet Filter Children, computer, content filter, danger, Filtering, help, Internet, Internet Filter, Online, parents, Pornography, predators, protection, scandal, secure, service, web, web filter, Websites